Fear – a four letter word that paralyzes new business owners

If you have already started your business, or are dreaming about it, you’ll be able to relate to the feeling that ranges from nagging doubt, to heart palpitations. It’s fear. The entrepreneur’s enemy #1 shows up in a lot of ways… limiting yourself and the sheer scope of your business, being afraid to charge more for your services, not getting the help you need, and hedging your bets by following what “everybody else” does instead of what you truly want to do are just a few manifestations of fear. Then there’s the heart-in-your-throat kind of fear, especially when you stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone. What if my big idea is a dud? What will others think? Will I have to go back to the corporate world? What if I fail?rnWhen you quit a corporate job to start your own business, you can expect to feel afraid. After all, you have done the unexpected, and left the “security” of a guaranteed paycheck and benefits for the unknown. But like President Franklin D. Roosevelt told the American people paralyzed in the grips of the Great Depression, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."rnWhat President Roosevelt brought to the nation was hope, combined with action. Fear is normal, and the best gift you can give yourself is permission to feel it, and then keep moving! Know that behind every successful entrepreneur is fear. It doesn’t go away. The most successful entrepreneurs feel it too. The difference is, they know how to get past it. In fact, if you aren’t feeling at least a little uncomfortable, you probably aren’t pushing at the edges of your comfort zone, which is precisely where you need to be to reach your most fabulous potential. Here are some tips to keep you moving forward:rnKnow you are not the only one – all entrepreneurs have been afraid and most continue to be. This may give you some comfort. If you do not participate in networking or mastermind group, or other forum, consider getting involved. It’s amazing how lifted up you can feel when you know that others are going through the same challenges that you are. Continue to learn – the most common fears are not succeeding, not making money, or not knowing enough. One of the best defenses is simply keeping active and continuing to learn new skills to support your business. Improvement and investing in yourself goes a long way to feeling in control, and therefore putting fear in its place. Stretch yourself instead of stifling yourself – Fight, flight or freeze are our most basic instincts to react to fear. Not doing anything – freeze – or avoiding – flight – will not help you move forward. You can fight fear by facing it and learning to recognize and use healthy fear as a motivator.rnRecognize fear for what it is – fear is simply your mind’s way of telling you to be watchful. If you can get to the reason behind your fear, and tackle it with concrete actions, you can learn how to manage it and recognize it for what it is.