People tell me to think positive thoughts, but I just can't do it. I have a lot of fear about my business&emdash;what if I don't sell enough, what if I fail, what if nobody wants to buy my product? I know these fears are stalling my success. What can I do?
Marilyn New Orleans
Dear Marilyn:
Believe it or not, the problem you describe is quite common. Fear is the number one emotion that interferes with the success of business people at all levels. Emotions are present for a reason&emdash;to give us a message. That message usually points to the need to take some form of action.
The very idea that you're afraid suggests that you're expecting something to happen (or not happen). You identified several things in your letter (e.g., not selling enough, no market for your product). The question is whether you've adequately prepared for these possibilities. After all, a large part of success is anticipating problems and having a solution ready if they occur.
Make a list of all the things you're fearing. Then identify the actions you've taken to address these. If you can't think of anything, then get busy! Simply wallowing in the fear won't change a thing. But taking action to be prepared will. If nothing else, it will ease your mind simply to know that you have a plan. If you need help creating that plan, then go out and get it. Work with a colleague, call the Small Business Administration for help, or hire a business coach. After all, your success depends largely on what you do and don't do.
There are a couple other issues I'd like to touch on, one being "courage." Courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, it's taking action despite the fear you feel. Just because you're feeling afraid doesn't mean that you can't do something. Accept that you'll experience feelings of fear while you start your business but move forward anyway.
The other issue I want to mention is "resistance." The more you resist something, the stronger that thing becomes. Thus, if you resist your fear, the more you'll feel it. So allow your fear to be there. Don't fight it. Make peace with it. You'll find the less you resist the feeling, the less hold fear will have on your life.
I wish you the best in your business endeavors.
Tom
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
