Fear!!!! – Such a powerful emotion. It can soooo limit one’s potential – if you let it.
I have decided that I have experienced two kinds of fear.
- Physical fear – A fear of something real like the times we had armed robbers turning up in the middle of the night (This was in Nigeria, thankfully we do not get armed robbers here usually – the thieves here prefer to come when you are not at home), or the fear associated with seeing my dad lying on the ground after the car accident that changed the direction of my family’s future. These incidents left me feeling scared at night while at home so I generally preferred to be away.
- Emotional fear – this for me, can be a fear of what people might say or do if I step out of my comfort zone to try to sell them a service a product. A generic fear of failure so an attempt to remain in the relative comfort of ‘never ever trying’. Was it Homer Simpson who said something along the lines of “the lesson is to never try”?
This week, I have definitely been facing the second of these fears. One day, I am up and sure I am making headway and then the next I am down wondering why on earth I ever stuck my head out. J
So, as part of my re-education, I decided to listen to a wonderful speaker guy called John Maxwell. From my pre-baby days, I had kept this collection of CDs of his leadership training. One of the discs is on fear. It mentioned some of the results that one gets if fear is not managed, such as procrastination. When he was talking about this, I couldn’t help but nod my head as he seemed to describe me.
Imagine the scene, I have a call to make to an estate agent who I finally got the nerve to visit but who has not actually done any of the things we agreed he/she would do after the meeting. So, I know I should call to find out what is happening or at least to touch base with him/her but O, look up! There is a spider web, I never noticed that before. I must, this very minute, get out the duster and clean that right up. We do not want the spiders to make themselves feel at home now, do we? And while we are doing that, we may as well, clean the whole house from top to bottom and oh, I said I would pay that bill. I had better get to it and yes, let’s do those 1 million push ups, I need to do right now. Oh my gosh, look at the time, he/she (the estate agent) must have finished work by now. I will definitely do it in the morning. This cycle could go on indefinitely for anything that gave me the heebie-jeebies.
These last few weeks, however, I have determined to stop that. In fact, on my return on Saturday, I had decided I was going to ‘Think then do’ rather than ‘’Think then talk about it then talk some more then change my mind and do something else and then start again at the top’. So, it has definitely been a stretching week. I decided that this week I would research and visit at least 10 houses that looked like they might meet my investment strategy. And guess what, I did it!
Enough for now!
Face the fear and do it anyway
Susan Jeffers
Hi Rosie
Really enjoyed reading your post. It is so true, it made me laugh as I do exactly what you have described. It is so motivating when you see other mums with young children in business. I LIKE IT!!! because I am also venturing out into the business world.
Keep up the good work you are a SUPPER WOMAN.
Please keep in touch with regular updates. The more I get into my business the more I value the importance of networking with others.
face the fear and do it anyway
Hi Ayee,
How are you? Thanks for your kind words. So what are you up to?
It is always great to network with others. Lets keep at it and not ever give up. We have big reasons. If nothing else, Our children drive us!!!!!!
Here’s to a better life!
Thank you so much for this atircle, it saved me time!