Chris. What are the reasons you want to fly?
If it's just for the money, or the glory, then are you really, REALLY sure that's what you want to do?
Do you have the passion for flying that will mean that, on a 2, 3, 4 hour sector you won't get bored?
What I'm trying to say is that most people who get in to flying do so because they have a passion for it. The time, effort and expense involved in getting the licences requires a goodly measure of commitment. Ever heard the phrase "born to fly, must fly" ?
So sit down, find out what the costs are, take a realistic look at employment opportunities, will you be happy to fly freight at night for a few years to get the hours up?
As for the fear thing, I think if you never feel any fear then you'll not make a good pilot. A certain amount of fear heightens the senses, keeps your lookout/scan sharp. As long as we're not talking a crippling phobia then it's all good. It's the pilots who don't have any fear who tend to over assess their capabilities, and push the envelope of the aircraft. A lot of the time they get away with it, but there are plenty of people who've tragically ended up as a smoking hole in a field precisely because they lacked the healthy fear.
I hope some of that made sense, coming from one who has always known that "reaching up to touch the face of god" was what he was born to do. If you have the passion then go for it, but make sure you do it with eyes wide open. It's not an easy job, or anyone would be doing it!
Above all, good luck in whatever you decide.
Matt