Just in time for Halloween, I can tell you what I learned about fear during my first scary drive through the US Border this week. Fear is fear people, and here’s how to apply those lessons to your small biz.
Be Scared But Do It Anyway
My coach says that only 5% of people in the whole world achieve their potential because 95% of people aren’t willing to do things that the 5% is. Doing things that scare you would rate right up there with things most people aren’t willing to do. So here I was, a 44 year old world traveler, 6 figure business owner, mother and wife, afraid to drive by myself to the US because I get lost a lot. It’s strange to understand, but there it was, my fear of getting lost on the roads of Rochester. I decided to do it anyway because there was going to be tremendous value in the 3 day retreat to grow my business. I knew I had to bite the bullet and just do it. What are you afraid to do for your small biz that you know you just have to bite the bullet to do.
Get Help
Once I’d made the decision to go by myself at all costs, a strange thing happened. A good friend started getting interested in starting her own business. She was willing to come with me to the retreat. Then another strange thing happened, I met a woman one week before the retreat and she signed up for the same retreat. We ended up going together all in the same car. We had 2 GPS‘s in the car and both girls were giving me minute by minute road directions. Getting help was the easiest and fastest way to get to Fairport. What help can you get for your small biz to ease your trip to success?
Fake It Till You Make It
One of my big stressors was the US customs border crossing. I imagined being stopped, cavity searched, delayed, asked to pull over, you name it. I was so nervous about it. When the Tom Cruise (alleged) look-a-like-sunglass-guy claimed not to know what a coach was and that it was ridiculous to think that my coach worked with me over the phone, I was definitely flustered. However, I burned through the pain and kept calmly answering and joking along. He did search our trunk but let us go quickly after that. The girls in the car with me were fanning themselves from their hormonal rush and I myself was covered in sweat but for entirely different reasons. In your business, sometimes you HAVE to fake confidence about your services, your abilities, your fees, you name it. Until you make it, you have to fake it like I did at the US border.
Learn from my over stimulating drive over the US border and ask yourself some tough questions for your biz. You’ll be happy you did.
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