Are you anxious when you go to work? Would you admit that you have fears you need to face almost daily? Not many would, but it’s a certainty that every day, people running their own business have to overcome fear of some sort. What marketing should I be doing to fill my pipeline? Where are my next customers coming from? Why do I never have enough cash?
The photo above is of me doing a fire walk recently accompanied by my 15-year-old son – a pretty scary thing to do, given that the temperature of the coals under our bare feet was over 540C. I was determined to learn to overcome my fear of walking on hot coals because it was for a good cause – for charity on that occasion, raising over £500.
So why is running a successful business not a good enough cause for some business owners to overcome their fears?
Keep moving that task down your to do list, even though you know it has to be done? Don’t want to follow up with that prospect, even though it could lead to a decent sale? Thinking of turning down the opportunity to do a presentation, even though it could be good for your profile? These are all things that we put off because of fear.
Fear has two definitions…
…Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise.
If you continue to allow fear to be a factor in your decision-making, the opportunities you lose are unquantifiable. It often ends in business failure or at best poor results, lack of income and high stress levels.
So what’s the solution?
Richard Branson is quoted as saying that he always said yes, then learned how to do whatever he was asked. And while you don’t have to do every task, there’s a lot to be said for educating yourself so that you know what to expect when someone else does it for you. I personally have a business mentor, a coach and attend numerous self development events across the year to improve my knowledge, talk to experts and have the confidence and knowledge to grow my business despite the challenges.
Support in the form of experts and advisors is invaluable. And sometimes you just need to face your fears with the confidence and the knowledge you have gained. So what if that prospect might say no? They might say yes, but you’ll never know if you don’t follow up with them.
What are you more fearful of? Making that call, or risking your reputation and business because you didn’t?
For more hints and tips to help you build your business, why not join our thriving FREE Facebook Group, Business Squad. We share weekly live video training, tools and techniques to help you grow and you can connect with like-minded business owners.
