I trust that all of you have had the opportunity to read the phenomenal book “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway!” by Susan Jeffers. If not, then you need to get your hands on a copy today. It will become a live-saving reference as you grow your business.
All of us have experienced fear at some point in our lives. What is interesting to me is the way we often confuse fear with the feelings of panic. They are very different.
Recently, I saw the movie “Chasing Maverick” starring Gerard Butler. I had no idea, in advance, what this movie was about. I was on a plane, travelling across the country, and it was the lesser of all evils when it came to the movie choices we had.
It turned out to be a true story and a riveting one, at that. Gerard Butler played the role of mentor and coach to a young boy who had aspirations of surfing some huge waves. The story was compelling in that I found myself making comparisons to the surfing (and life) lessons to that of the life of an entrepreneur.
Gerard Butler often reminded the young fellow about the difference between fear and panic. As an entrepreneur, have you ever felt fear? Fear of isolation, fear of being considered a fraud, fear of charging what you’re worth, fear of success – and on-going, overwhelming and constant state of fear.
As an entrepreneur, I happen to know that we also experience feelings of panic when it comes to growing our business. We panic when bills are due and we don’t have the money in the bank to pay them, we panic when we feel (sometimes) that we have gotten in over our heads, we panic when opportunities are presented to us and we feel unprepared, we panic as we get older and feel as though we are running out of time, we panic when things break down – when people disappoint us – when we face deadlines. It’s endless (or so it seems).
It all comes down to mindset. It’s the way we think about things that cause us to feel fear or to feel panic. I have simple solutions for dealing with this. And how do I know? Because I’ve been there!
- FEAR
Definition: An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
We’ve all read the acronym: “False Evidence Appearing Real” – that’s because, for the most part, fear is something that we build up in our own minds. I do believe that fear, when it comes to our world of entrepreneurship and growing a business, is just a matter of ‘not knowing what you don’t know’ and therefore acting in a vacuum. Of course you’re going to be afraid. That’s one of my biggest frustrations as a business coach – and helping women to make money. Most of you don’t know what you don’t know – AND you don’t make the investment in yourselves and in your business so that you CAN know – and then you act out of fear.
How do we get past fear when it comes to getting clients and making money? Continuous learning. Know that you can know. Others have gone before you – learn from them. Stop compromising and settling for less, because of fear. Take charge today – get the facts – learn from the best of the best – and get out there and be of service.
- PANIC
Definition: Sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior.
I have seen many a panic-stricken face in some of my clients – and it typically happens when they are not prepared for certain situations. I’ve been there, too, and that’s why and how I know it is strictly panic, and nothing more than that. Panic comes when we over-complicate things, when we over-think things, when we are not prepared, when we don’t have information on which to act wisely. Panic is a very unhealthy emotion and feeling. Entrepreneurs panic when they don’t take the time to stop and think things through – to access the information they need at the time. Panic, like guilt, is a useless emotion.
How do we deal with panic when it happens? Stop and control your self-talk. It often begins there – with the way you speak to yourself. If you don’t control your self-talk, it will control you – and can drive you into quite a state of panic. Controlling your self-talk is a simple matter of shifting your thinking and your inner dialogue. You can turn it around in a second. And breathe.
Listen – for the most part, the work we do is not life or death! It IS important work – but it is not life or death. So, get a grip on your emotions. Learn to recognize the difference between fear and panic – and master some of the techniques for shifting that thinking.
Successful entrepreneurs are continuously learning – and mastering some critical thinking skills is essential to your survival as an entrepreneur. As a strong, confident, positive business person, you will attract the ideal clients- handle any situation that comes at you – and make lots of money so that you can make a difference in the world.
In the movie, “Chasing Maverick’, the young surfer strengthened his mindset – and mastered the surfing challenge of the maverick wave. He did this with the help of his coach and mentor, Gerard Butler. Why are YOU trying to grow your business on your own? We all need help. Get it – and get it today!
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”
James Neil Hollingworth (1933-1996)
Where have you let fear and panic hold you back in your business? What will you do different the next time you face those emotions?
Please share your thoughts!
