If we tried to point out why there was no need to be afraid, we probably found that our words had little, if any, impact. We could easily think the same thing about the boy in our example, that he is just being irrational, because it's clear from our perspective that other possibilities exist than the one his mind has focused on. But is his fear any less rational than, let's say, your fear (or hesitation) about putting on the next trade, when your last trade was a loser?

Using the same logic, a top trader would say that your fear is irrational because this "now moment"

opportunity has absolutely nothing to do with your last trade. Each trade is simply an edge with a probable outcome, and statistically independent of every other trade. If you believe otherwise, then I can see why you're afraid; but I can assure you that your fears are completely unfounded. As you can see, one person's perception of risk can easily be perceived as irrational thinking by another. Risk is relative, but to the person who perceives it in the moment, it seems absolute and beyond question. When the child encountered his first dog, he was bubbling with excitement and curiosity. What is it about the way our minds think and process information that could automatically flip the boy into a state of fear the next time he encounters a dog, even if it's months or years later? If we look at fear as a natural mechanism warning us of threatening conditions, then what is it about the way our minds function that would automatically tell the boy that the next encounter with a dog is something to be afraid of? What happened to the boy's natural sense of curiosity? There is surely more to learn about the nature of dogs than this one experience has taught him, especially in light of the fact that our minds seem to have an unlimited capacity for learning. And why would it be virtually impossible to talk the boy out of his fear?