So you’re frustrated with your business!!

You’ve let out a few expletives here and there because things are not going the way you hoped…….but my question is: Are you doing everything that you need to, or is fear holding you back?

Chances are that on this entrepreneurial journey, many people are half ass-ing it because deep down inside it can be downright scary to put yourself out there.

Yep! I’m calling you out!! You’re looking for a quick fix because ……..the process is too long, the work is too hard or the journey is too scary! All the ‘what if’s’ fill your mind and cloud your judgment so you do one of two things: Nothing (which gets you nowhere) OR anything (whether it makes sense or not)

The good news is I’m here to get you off your butt and on the right track.

So let’s address the term fear shall we?

I attended a seminar a few months ago and the speaker said:

Fear is a protective mechanism to keep us from some perceived or possible negative outcome.
So basically, we’re actually afraid of what might happen. A persons afraid of heights is not afraid of the height itself but of the possibility of falling.

Get it?

So let’s put a spin on this and look at the top four fears experienced by many business owners

 

FEAR OF FAILURE

This is a huge one!!

Many entrepreneurs are afraid of not only what people will say if we don’t make it, but what we might think about ourselves. The little voices in our heads that warned us might actually be right and the emotional abuse we unleash on ourselves might be too much to bear

The good news is that, in marketing you will fail.

Why good news? Because the faster you fail, the faster you can get to what will work.
It is a necessary step in the process. As a matter of fact my mentor says:
“You will fail more than you win. But the faster you fail, the faster you’ll get to the win.”

You are not a failure for trying something that doesn’t work, you are a marketer and you’re learning what does not work for your business.

 

FEAR OF REJECTION

This is one is tied to our ego. We dread hearing the word ‘no’.

We somehow take a massive blow when we hear that customers do not want what we have or is not interested in our offer. We tie our self worth to the number of comments, likes, clicks and shares on social media so if they’re not as high as we would like we get depressed and feel like giving up.

To combat this fear you need to face it and keep putting yourself out there. The fact is once you are consistently sharing your offerings and telling people how you can help them, you will find people who aren’t a good fit and the word ‘no’ will be a blessing in disguise.

Walk into every situation with a positive mindset, however if the prospect is not interested then it could simply mean they’re not your ideal client and that’s ok…….on to the next one!!!

Celebrate the effort, not the result

 

FEAR OF SUCCESS

I have to admit, I suffer with this one. It’s irrational, I know.

This fear has a lot to do with the perceived cost and sacrifices that comes with success. So the question arises how can I be successful and……be a good mother to my kids or still have time for my family, etc, etc, etc

This fear is usually rooted in

  • Time: You think success means you will have less time to do the things you want to do
  • Responsibility: You think success would mean more responsibilities that you’re not ready for
  • Fame: You think success will thrust you into the spotlight which can be uncomfortable

Once you recognize you have this fear then you need to look it straight in the eye and say: YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!

Yes there will be sacrifices and, of course, an increase in responsibility but remember you’re in control so you can simply schedule your time, hire more staff and make easy fixes as time goes on.

And as for the fame…….yes you will emerge as a leader in your field but that simply means that your business is on the right track to just embrace it

Do not let it keep you from your greatness!!

 

FEAR FROM NOT BEING PERFECT aka PERFECTIONISM

Many entrepreneurs wait in vain for everything to be perfect before they make a move. This is because they are reluctant to do something unless it is guaranteed that to work. Not succeeding will somehow confirm that “they are not good enough”, and as a result their ego is bruised.

This fear is a bit of a mixture of all of the above and can force many business owners to get ‘stuck in strategy’ trying to ensure that their version of perfection is achieved. It’s a vicious cycle

I heard somewhere that the ‘p’ in perfection stands for poison.
This is so true! You are literally poisoning yourself into not excelling by waiting for something that truly doesn’t exist.
Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every single time!!!!
If you wait for things to be perfect, you will be waiting forever! Get up and get going!!

 

So which fear is holding you back?

Trust me, a simple mindset shift and a lot of practice can go a long way

So enough of the four letter ‘F’ words, it’s time to learn, grow and become better in business.

Speaking of which, I want to invite you upcoming Crushing it with Carli Masterclass Series. It’s just what you need to combat that fear and give you the confidence you need to make your mark in the world.  Head on over to www.crushingitwithcarli.com to get all the details and to sign up.
Plus join my private Facebook group The New SMS: Strategic Marketing Specialists for all the free training and advice that you can handle.

See you soon!!