Fear

Fear.  While I don’t consider myself a person who is often afraid, I do face a lot of fear in regards to my business.  

• Fear that my coaching, guidance and perspective has a freshness date.

• Fear that the core attributes of my work will lose relevance.

• Fear that other coaches are better and more qualified.

• Fear that I will need to work longer than there is work for me.

• Fear that when a client ends their engagement, there won’t be another to replace them.

  
  

These fears, rooted in my work as a solopreneur, can stop me in my tracks.  My mind says they should motivate me to find new revenue streams and diversify my offerings, but instead they can stall any progress and project the fear onto possible solutions.  

I am confident in my offerings and believe they are timeless.  While some best practices get updated or upgraded, the advice is sound and I am validated when it lands with a client.  I am continuously reading for more and more relevant knowledge, and I learn so much in conversation with those I work with.

The best antidote to my fear is feedback.  When my guidance resonates, when a solution is implemented with success, when a new parent tells me that they are finding success – this feedback is validating.  I often sit in silence during my coaching calls because I know the client is taking notes about what we discussed.  That silence is a form of feedback.

Today, I am at a crossroads.  Do I produce and launch my Next Level Leadership program for individuals and smaller groups in a self-service learning platform.  Can the work and exercises translate and what will that look like for my time?  Fear has always held me back; all the what-if’s.  That fear is limiting my reach and ability to work with more people.  I am closer than ever to overcoming the fear and moving forward, but it does persist.

I share this because my tackling this fear may help you to face yours.  Here are some of the steps I am taking:

1. Find someone who believes in you and sees what you might not see in yourself.  Their belief in you may be exactly what you need to make progress.

2. An accountability partner can help you tackle each step in a process. This person has no vested interest other than to help you stay accountable to yourself, the task and a timeline.

3. Name it to tame it.  Identify your fears or what is holding you back.  By saying it aloud, you may be able to address what you are feeling or it may feel less big and overwhelming.

   
   

So I guess that is what I am doing.  I am naming my fear here to hopefully tame it into action and I have lined up the support I need to focus on the vision and remain accountable to a plan.Whatever it is that you fear in your professional or personal life, know that there are resources and people to help.  If I can help you stay accountable to achieve your goals, let me help you face that fear.   

And when I overcome my fear, you will hear about my new online offering of leadership and professional development.