Did you know that we are born with only two fears? The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises? You have learned whatever other fears you might have. And, as you have learned, you can unlearn them and live a life of courage and discovery.
Are you considering to start a business but you are afraid?
Then, let’s see 6 tips that can help you to overcome the fear of starting your own business:
1. Embrace change
We don’t fear change as much as we don’t like it. Most people prefer to stay in a bad situation rather than doing some changes.
Change implies a bit of effort, stepping out your comfort zone and learning new things; but this is not the hardest part of change. The most difficult part of the change is reconciling the fact that you like yourself (as you should!)and at the same time, acknowledging the need for change.
Embrace change and know that improving yourself doesn’t deny the fact that you are, already good enough. Improving yourself is opening new horizons and doors for you and doesn’t diminish in any way who you are today.
2. It is never too late
I was 23 years old when an opportunity to change my career came into my life. I missed it because I thought I’m too old to take it.
A few years after that, I met a 68 years old woman who just started her first year at university.
“I was busy with other things until now,” she said very nonchalantly about it.
To my surprise, later in life, working with many different people, I discovered that “I am too old” is a recurring theme for many people no matter their age: from teens to octogenarians. I wasn’t the only one believing that success and happiness has an expiring date.
Listen, the present day is the perfect day to start going towards whatever you want to accomplish. The business you what to start, most certainly(!) will not judge you by your age. Right?
The present day is the perfect day to start going towards whatever you want to accomplish.
3. Failure is only a response, not the outcome
Yes, not everything that you will try will work. However, with every attempt you make, you are better prepared, more knowledgeable, more experienced and even more confident. You are giving yourself the confidence that, even when the response is not what you want, you can move forward.
You have the ability to regroup, rethink and take a different approach, try in a different way and, yet, another different way until you get the response/outcome you want. It is pure mathematics – ten attempts increase your odds of success vs. one single try. Is it not?
Do you remember how the first car looked? How does a car look today after so many trials and errors? Doesn’t it look better? Works better? Isn’t it more efficient, faster, safer?
4. Use your skills and knowledge
Are you comparing yourself to others and some of them intimidate you? And because of it, you believe you don’t have all it takes to start your own business?
Don’t aspire to be someone else. Who you are is valuable and enough to start building what you want to achieve.
Acknowledge your limitations and shortcomings. Then, make an objective evaluation of your skills, knowledge, and talents and use them to your advantage.
I suffer from osteoarthritis.Therefore, I can’t run (limitation), but I’m a good listener.
I don’t excel in maths (limitation), but empathizing with others is my second nature.
- What are your strengths, talents, and skills?
- What do you know to do well?
- How are you unique?
No matter what you have to offer, there are people out there waiting to receive it; there are people that need it.
Be less self-conscious and more self-confident. You have what it takes because no matter what limitations you might have, you are compensating for them with something else.
5. Improve your skills
A talented writer was struggling to make ends meet. She was working two jobs and writing on top of that. Seeing her exhausted and unhappy a friend told her:
“You need to learn how to sell yourself. Your books are excellent and deserve better than collecting dust in the bookstore.”
She got offended and angry:
“I’m a writer, not a salesman! I finished one of the most prestigious universities with magna cum laude, and you’re asking me to sell myself?”
You might feel entitled to be appreciated and that people should acknowledge and value what you have to offer. However, people don’t know who you are until to tell them; people don’t know the value of your product until to show it to them; people don’t know they might need or want what you’re offering until they find out that you exist!
Improve your knowledge and go beyond the borders of your chosen industry/field. Learn how to sell yourself, how to present your offer and anything else that can be helpful to strengthen the confidence in yourself and your product.
6. Are you afraid of success?
If you are, there is no shame in it. Many people are feeling that way for various reasons. Whatever your reasons might be, consider this: success doesn’t come overnight; it comes gradually. Therefore, you have enough time to adapt to it.
Is there anything in your life, good or bad, that you didn’t find ways to adapt? I guess not.
Success is not different. You will have the time to adjust, digest and accept your success. When you get there, you will know what to do with it!
Now, you should know that most people prefer to be followers and not leaders; not because they can’t become great leaders, but because they like the comfort of being a follower. Being a leader comes with many responsibilities and challenges.
Therefore, before embarking on your journey of starting your own business ask yourself:
- Are you (really) afraid to start your own business or
- Maybe, you’re not willing to give up, just yet, on your comfort of being a follower?
Whichever road you choose for your future, know that accomplishment, success, and happiness are coming from many different places and in many different forms.
Define what you want:
- Do you want your own business? To be an entrepreneur or a solopreneur?
- Do you want to advance in your career?
- Where do you see yourself in ten years?
- What could give you the best sense of belonging and contribution?
- Which pathway is building the legacy you want to leave behind?
