There is no question; the number one challenge to your success is doubt. More often than not I hear, “I’m afraid of this or that”. You can fill in the blank. There could be a litany of reasons that you are fearful and for the sake of time, let’s agree that fear is real. If you predict a certain outcome and the results appear less than desirable, we instantly become anxious. I understand this feeling well and have dealt with the repercussions of anxiety many times in my personal and business life. As I grow in maturity, I’ve discovered that the majority of my fears never materialize. When I logically think through the potential downside, it historically doesn't end up as bad as the picture I conjured up in the beginning.
I coach men every day that spend inordinate amounts of energy, time, and resources exploring the possibility of taking the plunge into the entrepreneurial world. I see the excitement on their faces. I watch them share how they want to be in charge of their own schedule and hear them say, “I want to have financial freedom, but I’m afraid of stepping out”. They often refer to the corporate pension plan and endless medical benefits. All these points are well taken and should be considered when deciding if you are better off where you are or if you want to make your own decisions and explore the entrepreneurial world.
I ask them to dig deeper into their inner self and visualize how they want to craft a life of meaning and purpose.
I have them imagine what it would be like to offer value to their clients like never before. I suggest that they dream of a time that they could be instrumental in giving others a head start. How exciting it would be to come to the aid of others and take them to heights that never were before possible without your personal involvement.
Let me ask you these questions:
- How would you like to invest long-term for future generations that could alter and shape the lives of those you may never meet?
- How awesome would it be to transform your personal schedule where you had the ability to help your family or community even when it might not be the most convenient for you?
- What if you had the resources financially to give more than the minimal requirements or the expected amount?
- How cool would it be to delay your own gratifications for the advancement of others?
You might be saying by now, “who wouldn't want to do all these things?".
Hold on just a second! You are allowing, for the most part, one major obstacle to prohibit you from living a life I’m describing, fear.
When my children were growing up, there was always something that made them afraid. We would always break down the fear into incremental bites. I would say, “what’s the worse possible outcome?". Let’s just pretend that what you are afraid of happening comes to pass; how bad could it be? After imagining those results, I would ask, “what is the potential good that we are shooting for and how might your life be better as a direct result?". Not every time, but many times, once we weighed the risk/reward the advantages outweighed the risk exponentially.
As adults and competent business people, we fail to weigh the results. We get so bound up with the fear of failure we overlook the incredible possibilities.
I want you to fear missing an opportunity more than you fear failure. Failure to me is not in not succeeding. Failure to me is in not trying. I would lay in bed at night and always question whether or not my dream was possible. I want to be embarrassed for not trying, more than I want to be afraid of failure.
Have you ever heard of the 18/45/60 rule? When you are 18, you think everybody is talking about your success and failures. When you get 45, you don’t care any longer about everyone talking about you. When you reach 60, you discover that no one was talking about you in the first place. Listen, you are not the topic of conversation around your friends dinner table. You may wish they were thinking about you more, but they're not.
Please don’t allow your fears to keep you from living your dreams. I want you to make intelligent decisions. I want you to be calculated and tremendously informed about the opportunities before you. I do not want you putting your family in harms way or jeopardizing any member of your family’s future. However, I do want you to be very forward thinking and attempt to capitalize on your current venture.
Take the time today to visit my website for three FREE documents that I believe will help you tremendously.
1. Personal Assessment
2. What Do I Want?
3. Steps To A Productive Day
You can access these documents here.
Live on purpose,
Aaron
Meet Aaron Walker, View from the Top:
*Aaron Walker has inspired many through his leadership, mentorship, and consistent pursuit of excellence. He enjoys helping others and believes experience is a great teacher. Thirty five years of entrepreneurship and marriage have given Aaron a wealth of experience. Aaron continues to reach new heights and broaden his perspective of the terrain by examining his experiences and growing from them.
* Successful businessman and owner of eight lucrative businesses. Selling his personal retail business to a Fortune 500 company and leading a top-rated construction firm are just a few of the many notable accomplishments of Aaron’s career.
* Aaron’s inspiring personality and years of experience certainly qualifies him to be a Life and Business Coach with an entrepreneurial spirit that incorporates education and learning opportunities into his daily routine. Aaron moderates and facilitates weekly mastermind groups for men, appropriately named “Iron Sharpens Iron”.
For more information about the beneficial and engaging groups click below.
