View from the Summit

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.

In 1995, I bought a burned down building in Madison, Tennessee just ten miles north of Nashville. At the time, I was in the retail business, and I was expanding one of my locations. The new building would consist of 5,000 square feet, half of that being storage. I bought the location, hired a local architect to draw the plans and came to the stark realization one afternoon that I had royally messed up. The new facility was too small. Oh my goodness, what was I going to do? I was sick to my stomach; I wanted to puke. How could I make such an error? My business partner was counting on me to make a good decision, after all, it was my bright idea. Wow, now didn't I look all intelligent? What a moron, one blabbing idiot, was at the helm of a very expensive decision. With my tail tucked low, head lowered I spilled the beans to my partner, hoping he would not shoot me. Hey, don't be too rough on me, I was just 34.

Fear is the number one hurdle to success. Not a day goes by that I don't hear someone blame their fears. I'm afraid of this....I'm afraid of that.....I'm afraid when.....you get the point, people are afraid. As a life and business coach one of my first objectives is to discover what their afraid of, and why. Probing around usually uncovers the little "demon in the shadows". That little voice that is whispering in your ear, "you can't do it" or "if you do try and it fails, everyone will know". Have you ever experienced those underlying currents that plague us from the get go?

Competing in sales competitions during school was without question a catalyst for me in pursuing my love for business. I had a few early victories that afforded me an opportunity at the next event. Then, all of a sudden it became a game. I was sucked into the never-ending vortex of competing.

I was never competitive in sports, but sales had rung the entrepreneurial bell. Discovering what worked, and what didn't, as I went from competition to competition was very intriguing to me to say the least.