Finally, reappraising jitters as readiness channels energy into performance. Experiments by Alison Wood Brooks (2014) found that saying “I’m excited” improves outcomes in high-pressure tasks by reframing arousal as help, not harm. Creators also plant easy on-ramps for tomorrow: Hemingway’s tactic in A Moveable Feast (1964)—stop when you still know what happens next—prepares a forgiving first step and trims anticipatory angst. In this light, King’s insight is pragmatic: fear spikes at the threshold because uncertainty is maximal, but action converts ambiguity into information. Begin, and the mind follows; keep beginning, and fear learns to arrive late and leave early. [...]
