Is Fear Putting The Freeze On Your Small Business Dreams?

One of the biggest hurdles to accomplishing anything is gaining the confidence to get started. That’s certainly true for launching your own business.

I was ‘fortunate’ when I started out as a freelance writer seven years ago. The corporation I had worked for (for 17 years) was acquired and my position was eliminated, therefore forcing me to buck up and make a change. What started out as a career upset has led me to this fulfilling career that offers flexibility and an opportunity to shape my own professional destiny.

But had I not needed to make a change, I honestly don’t know that I would have taken the leap. The prospect of self-employment was scary to me. Having been a SCORE mentor several years ago, I’ve talked to other aspiring entrepreneurs who have found it scary, too. So scary, in fact, that they failed to launch. They gave in and gave up before they got going.

Is fear standing in your way of starting your own business?

• Fear of being laughed at
• Fear of not knowing enough
• Fear of not being good enough
• Fear of wasting your time
• Fear of other people’s criticism
• Fear of not making enough money
• Fear of hard work
• Fear of letting other people down
• Fear of letting yourself down

These fears aren’t to be downplayed as insignificant or silly, but they are to be overcome.

How can you do that?

1. Assess your skills realistically, not through the lens of self-criticism.
2. Do your homework to find out what’s involved.
3. Prepare by making a plan.
4. Start.

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” ~ Marie Curie

Your turn! What fears are you facing in your business pursuits? What fears have you overcome and how have you done that?