Interesting thread.
I have done many
work and recreational adventure things. I got started early I grew up with My Father and
family in the US Forest
Service. I'm basically a born adrenaline junkie. I have a healthy (respect) fear of the situations I may get into, keeps me on my toes.
I went on my first forest fire when I was 8 years old. Not a very big one but over the years I have been on many and worked in lots of exciting hot line situations. Can be dangerous but proper
equipment, experience and
training make it much safer. (I love hot line now great for an adrenaline junky)
I started skiing at 6 and have skied all over the US in many back country situations where I could have died in an avalanche or fallen off a cliff. Once again proper
equipment,
clothing, experience and
training are the key. (I'm a storm skier now the harder is snowing the better I like it. Often out there alone)
I have flown many back country hours in places where if the
engine quit or something happens probably no way to survive the result. Some of that flying even looking for downed aircraft for Civil Air Patrol. Training, experience and well maintained equipment make is much safer. (fly back country wilderness airstrips when ever I can)
Now going through the same
ramp up in sailing good equipment, gaining experience and training.
Same is true for: wilderness work of all kinds, tree climbing to pick cones, aerial observer looking for fires in aircraft in
lightning storms, etc.
I believe the key to getting past fear is those three I have mentioned in each case.
Some times you don't get to
ramp up, just after I bought my boat, on my first off shore
passage we got into 40kt winds but I had a friend who had 100,000+ miles and once she felt the boat was doing well it was just a huge adrenaline rush for 24hrs. (Once again having her along was my training opportunity. She and I had inspected the boat and knew it was in good condition and a good design, her experience made up for my lack of it in this case) I was hooked. I have never had such a long exciting experience in my life before.
I don't know about irrational fear but in my experience maybe all fear is irrational, experience and
learning will overcome the irrational with knowledge and the fear goes away.
So for me overcoming fear is Proper equipment, training and gained experience. Each type of adventure should be approached that way and the fear should go away.