I have encountered people who have shared with me logical and well thought out reasons as to why their business should not embark on a particular initiative. They would cite examples of how other business have tried the same idea and did not benefit. While their logic may be sound, as often as not, the true reasons for not going down a certain path may simply be due to the ‘fear of the unknown’ or ‘fear of failure’.
Fear is a good!
Fear is a good thing. It prevents us from jumping off a plane with a parachute with no training or diving off a cliff into the ocean without knowing the depth of the water below you. It is the fear of the unknown that stops us from doing certain things and, in these examples, it will probably save our lives. However, this very fear can also stop us from doing something that may benefit our business in the long run. Starting a business, venturing into new markets or embracing new technological advances that can ultimately help your business grow.
How to overcome it.
If we learn to accept that our fear is real and how to manage it, we can move on to do things about which we had previously only dreamed. Do you want the challenge of jumping off a plane for the first time? Get an experienced sky diver to train you, and jump in tandem with that person first. Do you want the challenge of diving off a cliff into the ocean? Get someone who is familiar with the geography to guide you on whether it is safe area.
Do you have a business venture that you want to try, but are hesitating because of the fear of the unknown? Get some expert help to address your fears.
1. Identify what is stopping you from doing it. What are you really afraid of? It is failure? Or is it something else?
2. Find out if another business in a similar industry is doing the very thing you hesitate to try, then identify what they are doing and how they make it successful.
3. Find someone who can work with you on this. Very much like getting an experienced skydiver and ‘tandem jump’ together, a business coach can help you take that leap.
By working on your fears using the above steps, you will be able to overcome them and, in all probability, your business will benefit from the new venture.
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
