Everyone I have ever talked to that is an entrepreneur has had to come face to face with their fears. I have had to as well. I want to share with you some of the techniques that I have used to face them.
The first step is not to be in denial. You have fears even if you don’t readily acknowledge them. They sometimes take the form of that chatter in the back of your head that says you can’t do it.
Here are some fears an entrepreneur may face:
Fear of Failure: This is the most common fear that entrepreneurs have. It is also the biggest stumbling block to success. Fear of failure is one of the main reasons people don’t pursue their dreams. They fear that they will fail and then they will be ridiculed, humiliated and embarrassed by others. However, it’s important to note that failure is not the opposite of success; it is simply another step along the path toward success.
Fear of Success: Some people are afraid to succeed because they think that once they become successful, they’ll lose their friends or family members who are used to seeing them struggle financially. Other people are afraid to become successful because they think that once they become rich, someone will try to kill them for their money. While these fears may seem far-fetched, there have been actually been cases where someone has been killed for their wealth.
Here are some of the techniques I have used as I learned them from the entrepreneurs I know:
Think about what you do want. When you find yourself spinning the wheels in your mind over and again about your worst case scenario, turn it around and focus on what you DO want. Visualize yourself getting what you do want. See the new house. See yourself talking to the interested person as they become a part of your business. You get what you focus on.
Voice them to a trusted friend or associate. Hopefully you have been able to find some level of support from at least one other entrepreneur. Ideally, you have a significant other that supports you.
If not, then you should have some kind of support network from your team, upline, or corporate that you can talk to. Some people may tell you that it is silly you could even believe that you’re not good enough.
Have a personal development library. I draw tremendous support from my library. It is not just filled with how to resources, but also stories of others who conquered their fears.
Go ahead and do it. Sometimes just making the smallest step will help get you going enough that the fear of not doing something can go away. An example would be neglecting to write an article such as this one out of fear of failure. Just starting it can create enough momentum to see it through.
Visualize the result, but make the action the goal. There is a subtle difference here for the entrepreneur. Of course you want the result, but maybe that’s not in your direct control. Visualize the result in your mind, but make your goal the consistent and persistent action of the entrepreneur. The action will eventually produce the result and you can certainly achieve that goal.
Fear is a powerful emotion and it can hold you back from doing great things — especially when it comes to your business. If fear keeps you from taking the first step toward success, then take this advice: Stop waiting for the perfect time to start your business and just do it!