What are you afraid of?
We’ve talked about some Obstacles to Business Growth being
and I even gave you some Time Strettttchhhers (click on those links to catch up on those back posts)
Today I want to address something that might be hiding behind those other obstacles or reasons or excuses (whatever you want to label them)
==> The Fear of Failure (insert scary movie music here)
I am dealing with several personal coaching clients that struggle with this from time to time and those are just the ones brave enough to admit it. You also might be dealing with this and NOT admitting it.
Here is a simple exercise I take MYSELF through when I start experiencing doubt or fear. (Objects in mirror are not always as confident as they appear as I’ve admitted on a previous post!)
Here is the actual exercise I do. (Listen in as I talk to myself…)
Carrie…”What is the WORST possible thing that can happen if you fail?”
Wait, back up, Carrie – what does FAIL really mean? (loss of pride, loss of $, someone has a snide comment? you have to start over? What IS failure really?)
Ok Sister, back to #1 – what is the worst possible thing? (I feel bad. I kick myself around. I have to use a credit card or get a loan. I have to get a job, I have to sell my house and move into an apartment. I have to ____________)
Now, Carrie —- what is the BEST possible thing that can happen if you succeed?
But, wait — what does SUCCEED really mean? (Money? Pride? My picture in the press? Proud family? Quit my ‘other’ job? Happy clients? How am I measuring success?)
The interesting thing is reader… (wanted you to know I invited you back into the conversation 😉 usually – typically – the fail stuff isn’t so bad and the success stuff is really very juicy 🙂
The RAW truth is – if I don’t work (succeed) I don’t eat, my family can’t pay the mortgage, my son loses his therapy, and the list goes on – so the truth is – I MUST succeed. What does that mean? It means that I must generate income. pure and simple 🙂 So, I’ve said it before and I know I’ll say it again – I’m more afraid NOT to try, NOT to risk, NOT to keep moving than I am to Fail. Make sense?
To overcome your ‘fear of failure’ you have to be more scared NOT to try and push through than you are of just swimming upstream, disappointing someone else or going against the status quo.
Any thoughts below? Have you ever had a ‘fear’ of moving forward? Care to share?