Fear is a very strong word and it can stop many people from moving towards their goals both professionally and personally. I had to move past fear when I decided to start my own business and work at home. I feared I would spend more time working than with my family and that wasn’t the purpose of having my own business. So, I faced the fear and decided that I would work on the business when my kids were in school, at play dates or sleeping and yes there are times when I do work while my kids are awake and at home too. My business has grown and the initial fear of time management helped me to focus and decided how I wanted to balance both work and family.

The fear of failure is what usually stops people from trying a new opportunity. Such as the fear of looking bad to their peers, the fear of not being there for their family, the fear of not meeting their customers expectation and the biggest fear to why people don’t take the step to owning their own business; the fear of the business failing. If a business fails I don’t see that as a bad thing, as long as you learned from it. I tried my hand at starting other businesses but they didn’t meet my work/life balance or my financial goals so I made the choice to stop them, learn from them and move on.

Luckily with fear there comes triumph! When I conquer a fear, such as closing a sale that I thought wouldn’t happen, the adrenalin rush that comes pushes fear aside and makes it just that much easier to attack the next fear. The thought of the fear is always bigger than it really is. Fear is when there is something that we are uncomfortable doing or it’s something we have no experience with. For me, I was fearful of calling potential customers. I would pace the living room and look at the clock, since I only had so much time to call someone before I picked up my son from preschool. Now, I don’t even write a script to, I just pick up the phone and call. Sure there are times when fear still creeps in especially with the potential of closing a deal with a large client, but when I hang up the phone the excitement that comes over me is so worth it.

If you are fearful of starting your own business, jot down a list of reasons why, than brainstorm how you can move past them either by yourself or with someone else. Also, fear is not bad; fear can be a motivator. It can motivate you to prove you can do it, such as cold calling or starting your own business. Fear also provides the best adrenalin rush when you conquer it. This rush pushes you to want more and it puts you into a ‘can-do’ attitude that all of us need whether it is for your business or personal growth. So, take fear on and enjoy the ride!