I learned an unexpected life lesson from a pack of novelty gum.

One of my buddies had just returned from vacation and brought back this little gag gift. A pack of chewing gum that delivered an electric shock when you tried to grab a piece. But he wasn’t keeping it under wraps—he was letting everyone know exactly what it did. With a mischievous grin, he’d walk up to each of us, dangle it in front of our faces, and say, “Come on, take a piece. I dare you.”

Now, knowing what was coming should have made everyone feel prepared, right? Wrong. I noticed most people reached for it with these careful, hesitant fingers, barely brushing against the gum as if they could avoid the shock by sheer willpower. And sure enough, they got shocked—hard. One after another, they let out a yelp or a laugh, rubbing their fingers as if the shock was worse than they expected. And each time, my buddy would laugh and move on to the next person.

By the time he got to me, I’d already made up my mind. I knew the shock was coming, but I figured, what’s the worst that could happen? I reached out confidently, grabbed it firmly in my hand… and waited for the jolt. But it didn’t happen. Curious, I squeezed the pack even harder. Nothing. My buddy gave me a look, like, “You’re supposed to get shocked!” So, I handed it back to him, and he took it away, looking puzzled.

Then, just to see if I was really immune or if it was a fluke, I grabbed the gum again—only this time, I did it the way everyone else had: cautiously, with two fingers, as if it might bite. And boom, I felt that shock! I experimented a couple more times and realized that when I approached it confidently and grabbed it firmly, nothing happened. But when I handled it delicately and cautiously, it shocked me every single time.

That’s when the lesson hit me: the fear of the shock—the hesitation—was what seemed to make the shock worse. The more timid you were, the more it zapped you.

After that day, I couldn’t help but see a metaphor in it. How many times in life do we approach challenges, fears, or even our goals with that same hesitation, worrying about what “shock” might be waiting for us? We tiptoe around the things that make us uncomfortable, thinking that if we’re cautious enough, we’ll avoid any unpleasant surprises. But all we’re doing is letting fear amplify what we’re facing, making it hit harder than it actually is.

Imagine how this lesson could play out in everyday life. Think of times you’ve faced a tough conversation, a new project, or even a big life decision. Maybe you’ve held back, approaching it delicately, trying to avoid any bumps or surprises. But the more you hesitated, the more uncomfortable it became, until it almost seemed like the challenge had taken on a life of its own. But when you finally took it on with confidence, grabbing it head-on, it often turned out to be far less intimidating than it had seemed in your mind.

Now, I’m not saying every challenge or fear will disappear if you face it boldly, but that novelty gum taught me that confidence changes the experience. The act of meeting a fear directly can take the sting out of it.

It reminds me that most of the time, we’re not even afraid of the situation itself—we’re afraid of the anticipation of it, the story we’ve built up in our heads about how “bad” it’s going to be. But when you get rid of that story and just dive in, you often find it’s just a minor shock, not the big jolt you expected.

So now, when I find myself approaching something that makes me hesitate, I think about that little pack of shocking gum. I remind myself not to tiptoe around life’s challenges but to face them directly, with a firm grip and a steady hand. If I’m going to be “shocked” by something, I’d rather meet it head-on, on my terms, instead of letting my own fear make it worse.

Next time you feel yourself holding back from something, remember the gum. Life might throw you a little shock here and there, but if you face it with confidence, you’re less likely to get that exaggerated jolt. Just grab it and don’t be afraid of the zap—it’s usually just a small sensation compared to what we imagine it to be. And the real shocker? Realizing that most of what we’re afraid of only has as much power as we give it.

Take the power back!