Tell me Chris,
Why am I so scared to try my potential? I have a finance background and am trying a new business venture. All I have to do is invest some money and try and see whether it works or not.
But I’m so scared. I can’t. My fear of failure is holding me back.
How to overcome this? Thanks.
Signed,
Fearful
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Ah Fearful, first, thank you for reaching out. It takes great courage to 1:) ask for advice and 2:) to try.
Let’s celebrate your willingness to use what you know, your financial background, to venture into a new business.
I’m sure you know of a lot of people who don’t possess your skill and talent, who jump into that business venture pool — to sink or swim. At the very least, you possess an advantage that can certainly work wonders toward your success.
I’m not just building you up here…I’m actually making a point.
You have forgotten what you bring to the table.
Your courage, confidence and skill in the financial arena can make this not only a success, but at the very least an incredible experience for you. Few are willing to take on something new, even when they have the skill, talent and experience to make it work for them.
Trust me…I’ve talked with, coached, and mentored a lot of people, with a desire to help them see what they ALREADY have in their toolkit, that will get them what they want.
But I digress…
I want you, Fearful, to consider your answer to the following questions…
- Where in your life have you failed and what did you do with that information?
- What have you had to experience, in order to obtain your financial background? Lots of school, tests, etc.?
- When is the last time you went after something you really wanted…and failed to get it. What happened next?
We have ALL experienced setback, missteps, mistakes and if we’re honest about it, we learned a shitload from it.
Even if it’s not to do it, or do it that way again.
There is ALWAYS a lesson.
On the flip side of this is your willingness to “try.” Listen, it takes a lot to extend yourself in this way. So what would it mean, if you didn’t.
Would you be faced with a “regret” that outweighs the investment of “money”?
If you have a financial background, then you know that you can ALWAYS make money. But you cannot recover an experience or opportunity missed, as easily.
I’ll share a little of my own background to help you.
When I left corporate in 2010 to start my own coaching practice, I had to invest the little money I received in my separation check into a mastermind program. I was a bit scared to spend so much money at one time.
Yet, here’s what I knew….
I wanted this to work and to work well, hell my livelihood depended on it. I had never done this before, so I had to start somewhere. And that “start” was with what do I know about myself.
Well, I’ve done “new” things in my life before. I moved 5 times in 15 years, to locations I’d never been before. I took on new positions with new managers, every 2-3 years. I went from an administrator, to manager, to systems engineer, to global leader…
So I’ve had to summon the courage to try new things and knowing who I am, I knew I could find success or a damn good lesson for the next time.
So here’s what I want you to do, besides answering the questions above.
Sit down with some paper, and write out what you’ve done, overcome, grown from, failed at, succeeded at, learned, etc. Write it all. No one will see this but you, so be brutally honest with yourself. Walk away from it and come back a day later to re-read it.
I guarantee you, you will discover something resilient, flexible and amazing about yourself.
Next, I want you to take that knowledge and look at this venture from two vantage points.
What happens if I fail?
What happens if I succeed?
And then…will I regret failure or missing the opportunity more?
I’ll say again, you can ALWAYS make more money.
My VERY best to you!
~ Find the gift!
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