Fear, candy, and the unknown
Everyone loves the idea of change until it’s standing on their driveway in a scary mask.
Our neighborhood goes all in for Halloween.
People drive in from other towns. The local paper even calls us a “Halloween hotspot.”
One neighbor builds a haunted maze every year. Another sets up an outdoor movie night with popcorn and cider.
We stock up on candy like we’re feeding an army.
And by 8 p.m., most houses are out. Lights off. Mission accomplished.
Except ours. We never run out. Because not many people dare to come.
My husband, bless his over-the-top creative soul, takes Halloween seriously.
He’s been a zombie monk. A demonic nun. A deranged clown. He doesn’t just hand out candy. He guards it.
You want a Snickers?
You have to earn it.
By walking up our driveway.
Through fog.
Into the unknown.
That’s how we’ve become the least popular house in the most popular neighborhood.
Every year I watch the same thing happen. Kids scream and run, then circle back. A few brave ones inch forward half-laughing, half-terrified.
That moment between fear and curiosity always gets me.
It’s the same moment we experience when facing change.
Everyone loves the idea of transformation until it’s standing on their driveway wearing a scary mask.
Fear, dressed as logic
Fear drives behavior more than logic ever does.
At work, it just wears better costumes:
“Too risky.”
“Not in scope.”
“Let’s revisit next quarter.”
We tell ourselves we’re being rational, but most teams aren’t rejecting innovation, they’re rejecting uncertainty.
They’re afraid of walking up the driveway and realizing the monster might be real.
Making the unknown less scary
That’s what validation work really is. Not a process. Not a checklist.
It’s learning to make the unknown safe enough to approach.
You replace fear with facts.
Assumption with evidence.
Fog with a flashlight.
That’s the work of Proof Sprint.
Because whether it’s candy or change, no one wants to be tricked. They just need proof it’s worth the walk.
Until next time,
Pragati