Have you ever had a great idea for a business? Maybe you’ve sat down and thought about it. You’ve pictured what the business could look like, how it could work, who you could help and, perhaps, even how much money you could make. Maybe you’ve even written some of it down. You’ve got the idea. You’ve got the plan.
So, of course, you Take Action… right?
Well… maybe not. The truth is, most of us have had great ideas, talents or abilities that we could share with the world, but far too often we never do anything about them. WHY? Think about it for a moment. How many people could you have helped? How many jobs could you have created? How many lives could have been changed because you decided to take that idea and turn it into something real? Do you see where I’m going with this? So, what happened? Why didn’t you make it happen?
There are plenty of reasons why people don’t take action on their ideas. But one of the biggest ones is fear.
Fear Can Stop You in Your Tracks
Why are we afraid? Fear often comes from the thoughts we have about what might happen. We fear failure. We fear rejection. We fear looking foolish. And perhaps most of all, we fear the unknown. I know because I’ve been there too.
I’ve had those thoughts.
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“What if I fail?”
“What will people think?”
“What if I lose money?”
“What if I’m making the wrong decision?”
The problem is that we can spend so much time thinking about what could go wrong that we never give ourselves the opportunity to discover what could go right.
And that is a real shame.
Failure Isn’t the Enemy
For a long time, I thought failure was something to avoid. Looking back, what I really failed at was understanding that failure can actually be a gift. Think about that for a moment. When something doesn’t work, you have an opportunity to learn. You gain knowledge. You gain experience. You discover what doesn’t work and, hopefully, what you can do differently next time.
That’s growth. Now, I’m not saying failure is always fun. It isn’t. I’ve failed. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve started things and given up. I’ve had things not work out the way I wanted them to. I’m sure you have too. But here’s the important part:
You only truly fail when you stop trying.
If something doesn’t work, take the lesson. Make the adjustment. Try again. Move forward. That’s where the real success comes from. So, my friend, the next time something doesn’t work out, don’t immediately label yourself a failure.
Ask yourself:
“What can I learn from this?” Because if you learn something, you’ve gained something. And that means you haven’t really failed at all. Failure can be your friend. Remember that!
What About the Unknown?
The fear of the unknown has stopped countless people from achieving their goals. You know how it goes. “What if…?” What if I fail? What if nobody likes my idea? What if I lose money? What if it doesn’t work? What if things get worse? And yes… I’ve had those thoughts too.
The problem is that we can become so focused on the What Ifs that we forget about the possibilities.
“What if it works?”
“What if I succeed?”
“What if this changes my life?”
“What if I help someone?”
“What if this becomes something bigger than I ever imagined?”
Those questions are just as possible.
We are often programmed from a young age to be cautious and to fear things we don’t understand. And there is nothing wrong with being sensible. We should think things through and consider the consequences. But there is a big difference between being prepared and being paralysed by fear. Fear breeds negativity when we allow it to control our thinking. And negativity can stop us before we’ve even started.
The Unknown Is Where Possibility Lives
Here’s something I’ve learned. The past is known. You know what has happened. You know the decisions you’ve made. You know the things you’ve tried. But the future? That’s unknown. And that can be scary.
But here’s the other side of that coin:
The unknown is also where opportunity lives. It’s where new experiences are waiting. It’s where growth happens.
It’s where new relationships, new ideas, new businesses and new possibilities can begin. If everything you’ve done in the past has not yet taken you to where you want to be, then perhaps it’s time to stop looking backwards and start looking forward.
Maybe the very thing you’re afraid of is the very thing that could move you closer to your goal. Think about that. Your past has brought you to where you are today. But your future hasn’t been written yet. You get to help write it.
So… What Are You Waiting For?
Maybe you’ve been thinking about starting a business. Maybe you’ve wanted to change careers. Maybe you’ve got an idea you’ve been sitting on for years. Maybe there’s a goal you’ve been putting off. Maybe you want to make a change in your life but keep finding reasons why now isn’t the right time. I’m not suggesting you throw caution to the wind and blindly jump into something.
Do your research. Make a plan. Learn what you need to learn. Then…
TAKE ACTION.
You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. Sometimes the first step is simply taking the first step. Then another. Then another. That’s how we move forward. And remember, my friend, you don’t need to know exactly where every step will take you. You just need to be willing to take the next one. Take Action. You never know where that first step might lead you.
[picture – Shifaaz Shamoon – Unsplash]
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