For the past three decades, Dr. Susan Jeffers’ guidance has helped millions work through their fears to accomplish feats both great and small. Her career as an influential self-help author and public speaker began with her 1987 breakthrough self-help book, “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.”

In her own life, Dr. Jeffers chose love over her education at 18 years old. She had to overcome her fears later in life to return to school and eventually earn her doctorate in psychology. It was then that Dr. Jeffers realized that it was not necessary to sacrifice her ambition to make other people happy.

When she looked back at her journey, she finally understood that life could be more fulfilling if people would stop letting their fears control them. Dr. Jeffers, who faced cancer with just as much bravery, passed away in 2012. However, her legacy lives on with her 18 books and her husband, Mark Shelmerdine, and two children.