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As an entrepreneur, we face so many adversaries that we either step up to the challenge or we become shrinking violets. Fear of failure is something that gets in the way of something, be it success or our ability to drive change. Whether you want to drive change on a cultural level or you are learning how to be a better business person, it is important to face your fears, in business and in yourself. What can you do to face those fears?
Get an External Opinion
The toughest thing for so many people is to get an outsider’s opinion. When we are trying to spearhead any form of change in business, we can be fearful of what an external opinion will throw up. But there is no real solution to giving out criticism for the sake of it. In business, there are many finite levels of feedback that can help you not just learn the errors of your ways, but use actionable feedback to steer the business in the right direction.
Companies like Ultra Consultants offers ERP consulting (short for Enterprise Resource Planning) that is invaluable in a factory setting, and rather than being fearful of getting the feedback, use this to fully face up to the things you have been fearful of in terms of the business itself. We don’t always like external opinions, but rather than getting defensive, we must use these opinions to fuel the next phase of our business, and our outlook.
Use Fear as a Motivator
When we are fearful of something, this becomes a major inhibitor. The reality is that fear can paralyze us, but rather than viewing fear as something negative, we should use fear as a quick check on our internal vital signs. The more scared we are of something, the more we realize we need to focus on these things.
It’s not about avoiding things that we are scared of, but much like any athlete that prepares themselves for a competition, they take the time to address their weak points. In business, recognizing those things that you are scared of means that you should pay more attention to those components, and more importantly, give them the time they need to unravel. Because when you understand that you are fearful of your business running out of money, getting to grips with what it takes to minimize the impacts on your bottom line will help you to future-proof your business.
Don’t Make It All About You
Learning to face your fears in business is not just about yourself. While you may be the person that has to bear the brunt, you’ve got to remember that the business is a separate entity to you, and this is why you must understand that if you make a mistake in life, it is you that is accountable, but the benefits of learning to face your fears in business are that you have the business as a shield of sorts. It’s not all about you, and this is not a bad thing at all.
This is an invaluable lesson for those who are just starting out. When you have a number of competitors in the same industry, and you make a mistake, it’s unlikely that fellow entrepreneurs are going to pick these apart and exploit your weaknesses. This is especially true if you don’t advertise them! The first year or so of running a business is about learning where you can go wrong because you will make mistakes. Instead of making it all about you, recognize the opportunities to get better without all eyes being on you. It’s a wonderful learning process where you can identify your greatest business fears.
Take Action
The most important lesson in facing any fear in business is the fact that you will commit to doing something. You can spend a lot of time thinking about how to overcome something, but action is the most important tool. We can all become stuck in a more fearful mindset, but taking one simple step in the right direction can help you slowly unravel the fears locked deep within you.
The one thing you need to do to get rid of your fear is to make a commitment because this will mean an action is taking place and helps your brain to focus on something that is not the fear.
As we develop a business, we may believe that we must keep pushing on and avoid anything negative, but there will always be problems, which is why you must learn to face these fears sooner rather than later.
