Reframe Fear

Fear, terror and contraction are part of the emotional landscape that every business owner has to travel. I was speaking to a client recently and she was completely in the grips of a panicky fear attack. “I’m starting this new program for my clients, and yet I’ve never been more scared in my life,” she said. “Maybe that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it.”

Wrong.

If you are feeling called to try something new and different, and it’s scaring the daylights out of you, I think you should congratulate yourself instead!

In my view, fear is a healthy signal that you are stretching out into new territory and out of your comfort zone. It means you are reaching down inside yourself to find the resources, wisdom and conviction that you will need to successfully deliver that new program or product.

Somewhere along the line we got the idea that, if we felt fear, it was a bad thing and a signal to stop in our tracks. Of course, we’re designed to have fear get triggered when our sense of safety is threatened. But many of the choices business owners face aren’t a threat to anyone’s physical health and well-being. Making a decision that scares us and not having it turn out the way we wanted may challenge our confidence level, our return on investment of time and money, or the ego’s concept of who we are, but typically nobody’s life is in danger.

Deciding to back away from your growth because it feels scary and uncomfortable is a mistake. And the bad news is, the next time you face something that makes you feel afraid, it will be even tougher to break through the “terror barrier” and get to the other side. Here are some quick tips to help you reframe fear:

1. I like to say that FEAR is simply “Feeling Expansion And Resisting.” Nothing more. You’re feeling a stretch, you need to grow into it and then you will move past it.
2. Remind yourself of why you had the inspiration to make this scary decision in the first place. How will your life be different? What kind of impact will you have on your clients, your family and the world if you keep on saying “Yes!” to yourself and your decisions?
3. Tune in to your inner wisdom and ask if there’s anything you need to know or resource you need to get in order to help you through. If your fear is kicking up, it could be a sign that there’s something you’ve overlooked. If you feel like you’ve got everything you need in order to move ahead, just take a deep breath and take the leap.

Tagged as: Confidence, entrepreneur, fear, success