Tom McCarthy Says Fear and Excitement Are Identical in Body Chemistry

What was said

"Fear and excitement are cousins. They're related. What actually goes on in your body when you're enthusiastic, you're excited, you're pumped up, in your body, from a biochemistry standpoint, is almost identical to fear. The difference is what you're thinking and what you're processing."

Peak performance coach Tom McCarthy explained that the physical sensation of fear versus excitement is chemically nearly identical— both flood the body with adrenaline and cortisol. The key difference is mental framing. McCarthy advises people need only shift to 51% excitement to take action, not eliminate fear entirely.