Why do we fail?

In over a decade of working with business owners, I have noticed something really, really interesting about success and failure.  Want to know what it is?

FEAR.

Fear is one of the most powerful 4-lettered words in our lives.  We identify with it as that hollow feeling in our gut or a vice grip on our heart that sends chills down our spine.  As parents, we are confronted every day by the fear of what could happen to our kids…our money… our health…the economy…disease…accidents…terrorism…the list goes on and on.  But, as business owners, our fear is amplified because our business success or failure is on public display.

Fear is a natural part of my business and my life, even though my battle cry is “no fear allowed, Kirsten!”  The truth is, none of us can escape fear.  It serves as a way to propel us forward, and it is this natural ‘fight or flight’ instinctive response that can sometimes steer us into serious trouble and sometimes gets us out of it.  As powerful as fear is, it lives only in the mind.  Fear is not real, however, I have seen it defeat more people than any other single thing in the world.

Way back when I started my business, it felt like I was taking teeny-tiny baby steps toward my big dream of being a business owner: yeah, I was born for this!  But… Nothing was going fast enough (I’ve never been a picture of patience!).  Renowned for being a big thinker, I naturally attracted a higher degree of risk, more challenges and inevitably, more fears. In the first couple of years, my business was moving fast, and I was running on empty – trying to do too much, with too little – time, money, skills, support and love.  It was a scary time in my life.  Now looking back over my twelve years in business, fear has always steered me this way and that. Even though every day for the first two years of business was terrifying, quitting was not an option.  I just had to keep going regardless of the hard lessons I had to learn.  Take it from someone who has been there and done that: it was all worth it.

First things first… Fear equals feedback.  If you’ve read this far and you’re feeling worried, scared or lacking in direction, these feelings are strong cues that you need to do something.  STOP. Listen. Evaluate. Our thoughts truly are at the root of our results.  Those voices that are rattling around in your head will trigger words that shape your actions that, in turn, make things happen in your life.  Before you go any further, ask yourself “if you weren’t afraid what could you achieve?”

Go chase’em this week!

#kirstenlowis