What's your Fear?

Many of us face fears of all kinds when we start our business. Some have fears on a daily basis, even after years of being in their business. What is your fear? Can it take you to the top or will it hinder you from being successful?

Let's look at the most common fears people have when it relates to your business. One of the most common fears is fear of failure. Some people never start a business for fear they might fail. This fear can hinder people from ever trying anything new, from ever really experiencing great adventures in life. "What if I fail" is the resounding question in their head, but what they should be asking themselves is " What could I be if I tried?". There is a saying that goes all the way back to the Bible. "Whatever you can think about, you can bring about." If you can dream up a business, you have the ability to create it. You may and probably do need to acquire more knowledge, but you are capable. If you don't try, you will never know what you could have accomplished. Many a person goes to their deathbed with an unfinished song . Each of us, as part of the human race , has a gift to leave on this planet yet many are afraid to discover what it is.

Fear of Rejection is one of the biggest. Some people freeze when they need to make contacts. The biggest fear is "what if they say no?" They should be asking, "What if they say yes?" I remember when I started my very first business. It took me 2 weeks to get on the phone. I finally realized nothing was going to happen if I didn't make calls. I finally challenged myself to just make one call that particular morning. At 5 minutes before noon, I picked up the phone and followed a prepared script. I didn't read it but it was in front of me. To my surprise, the person I called wanted to come right over to see what I had. To think, I had wasted 2 weeks thinking everyone would reject me and what I had to offer. Most of the time, if you get no's (and we all do), people are not rejecting you, but what you are offering. If you ask why they said no, you will probably discover it is not enough information, not a good time for them or it is not what they want. It's usually not about YOU!

Here's another thought. What would your friends and acquaintenances think if you didn't call them. Would they think you rejected them? In my first business, a friend said she would like to help me get my business started. I asked her to introduce me to people I didn't know. I didn't want to make my friends feel obliged to buy from me. Common mistake for newbies! That help kept me rolling for 3 months and then it died. I called a few friends and they felt rejected by me because I never told them about my business. They were hurt because they wanted to help me and I didn't ask them.They knew I was doing something but in their eyes, I simply ignored and rejected them through my own fear of rejection. Who would have thought?

This fear I personally have trouble with but many people have a real fear of success. What if I am successful, what will people think of me? Many years ago, I worked with a lady with exactly that fear. I discovered she had a goal. She had always wanted a fur coat. Now this was when fur was popular. We talked about what it would cost, figured out what her commissions needed to be and when she would like to finish her goal. I was so proud of her when she achieved her goal and offered to go shopping with her. Much to my surprise, she just couldn't buy that coat. She was concerned what her friends would think, what the people at church would say and the list went on. People can be afraid to change in case this alters their existing relationships. What they fail to see is success will probably change them and in most cases for the better. It will most likely attract successful people and more interesting people into their circle of friends. I personally believe people are in your life for a season. Some will be there for a lifetime and they should be cherished, and others will be for awhile but not forever. You may have served some purpose in their lives or they in your's, and it's time to move on. There was an interesting story I heard a long time ago about the Mexican Jumping Beans. A tourist saw them in a shallow pan outside a store. He noticed they were jumping higher and higher. He hurriedly when in the store to tell the owner the beans were going to escape. The shopkeeper laughed and said as soon as the jumping beans get close to the top, the others will pull them back down. Some friends are so afraid to lose you, they do just that. They don't want you to find success in case you change. Real friends, however, will be supportive. They want you to be successful and happy. Life is about change. You are either moving up or down. You shouldn't stay the same for the excuse of keeping your friends. Your true friends will be there for you!

Your fears can limit you and what you are destined to be. But that is your choice! You have the ability to cast your fears aside. It does take courage and work but we are in control of our thoughts. We can choose to stay in our comfort zone and be unhappy or we can move to a whole new plateau and redesign ourselves. First of all, you need to be aware of what your fear is. What is holding you back? When I was in high school and before, I was extremely shy. One day I noticed a very popular girl who was having fun and was the centre of attention. In that moment I realized that being shy was not fun at all and I didn't want to be that girl any longer. I had the luxury of moving to a new school where no one knew me. I pretended to be the person I wanted to be, not afraid to speak to people and not afraid to be noticed. A strange thing happened. I became that person! Often what we fear never happens. If you are afraid to pick up the phone or meet people, face that fear. Take that fear with you . Picture your fear as a superman cape. It has power. At one time that fear had the power to hold you back. Picture your fear as a shadow. The faster you run from it, the faster it follows until it overtakes you. When you stop to face it, it disappears. In a course I was giving, I was helping a woman conquer her fear of public speaking. Before she went on stage, she confessed to me she was going to make a mess of it. And that she did! I called her back and told her to picture her fear and drag it as a coat of honour behind her and this cloak of power was going to make her the best speaker ever and sent her back to the stage. She delivered an incredible speech. It's all in your mind- what you think you can do and what you afraid of. The interesting thing is most of what you fear never happens! Face your fears and be the best you can be!