Starting a business is a dream shared by many people but few ever do it.
Growing a business is a huge challenge. You have to take care of sales, marketing, logistics, cashflow as well as perform the work if you are both the owner and the employee.
All of this is almost guaranteed to put us into a place where we get feelings of discomfort or even fear.
The problem isn’t the fear. It is when people label that feeling as wrong or tell themselves that they should be feeling that way (as if we have a choice). If you choose to grow then pain and discomfort will be your constant companions so get used to it. Eventually what felt scary will feel as natural as drinking a cup of tea.
Paul Browning
I agree Paul. When trying anything for the first time you are bound to be nervous or fearful. They are natural human emotions. I think that once you realize that those feelings come with the territory, you will find a little peace. Like so many others, I have learned to live through and with the ups and downs.
Embarking on a new frontier is dark at first. Then again light will shine as you gain knowledge of the new territory. One way to fight the unknown is to gather knowledge itself. Thereby we minimize the unknown, at the same time this minimizes risk and losses while at the learning curb.
I remember my dad setting up his own business. It was scary at first he said. He started the business after he quit his job. He only had $4 when he applied for a job by the way. he was a salesman for wall papers with a commission of only 2 dollars per invoice. after that he started his own business it was a glass and aluminum company. fast forward 15 years later, had he not taken that risk we would not be here, all of us were and are still studying in private institutions. He is now 46 and is in the stage of his life where he seems to be collecting cars.
Fortune favors the bold, those who take fear as a negative feeling will only get trapped. Life should involve risks.
It is so good to start something on your own. The joy of something that was made by your own hand through your own blood sweat and tears is liberating. Sure its suppose to be scary. All mountains are. But once you reach the top you get a God’s eye view. And that Alone can be enough motivation for you
I am presently feeling what Susan “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” Jeffers would call the fear of handling failure (or even success!). I am planning to start off on my own next year. On a recent webinar, Paul advised me to hand my notice in if I want to start applying for contracting jobs. I AM going to do it – but not just yet. The plan is to pass the first 2 CCNP exams THEN hand my notice in, and study/pass the final exam whilst I’m working my 3-months notice. The reason? I still feel a bit apprehensive/frightened – will I be capable of doing the job? Should I only apply for CCNA-level/entry-level jobs to begin with? etc
If I am to succeed the I am going to have to take the bull by the horns. I am going to have to feel to get through the pain barrier.
We need to overcome our fears. Get out of our comfort zone. Take positive action. Positive steps.