How to Overcome the Fear of Starting a Business

Starting a business of your own can be a daunting task – even if it is in an industry that you are very familiar with, or if it involves something that you have been doing for a long time. Taking the first few steps to a life of self-employment can still be scary.

Following are some tips that can help you overcome the fear of starting a business, and get your business going:

Write Your Goals Down

Simply writing down your goals can increase the likelihood of you achieving them. Determine your specific business goals, then summarize them into short sentences or a few words. This way, you will have something concrete to work on, and you won’t feel like groping in the dark. You can easily visualize written goals in your mind. You will get the clarity, sense of purpose, and direction you need to face the difficult tasks ahead.

Educate Yourself

What you may actually be afraid of is the unknown. This is just normal. The cure is simply to educate yourself. Try to learn everything you can about the business, the market, and entrepreneurship in general. There are lots of books and online articles you can read to help you get a good grasp of all aspects of your business. It can likewise be very helpful if you talk with owners of similar businesses. Ask for their advice or have them share their own experiences. This way, you will not only be better-informed; you will also realize that the challenges that you are facing are no different from others. The knowledge that you’re not alone will help reduce whatever fears you may have.

Remember Why You’re Setting Up Your Business

Recall why you are doing in. Fear may stem from losing your focus. If all the nitty-gritty of establishing a business is starting to drag you down – setting up your office, systems, and tools, and crunching numbers – just step back and take a minute to remember why you decided to put up the venture. Focusing on the “why” will bring back your passion and give you renewed strength to fight all the distractions.

Resist All Temptations to Make Excuses

You will never overcome your fears if you keep on making excuses for what you do or fail to do. Just because growing a business is foreign territory to you does not mean you cannot gain the knowledge you need to succeed. Instead of giving excuses for your shortcomings, whether perceived or not, be proactive and do what you can to gain sufficient knowledge to make your dream a reality.

Seek Help

Not all people can learn and do everything on their own. It is alright to ask for help from other people. Ask the advice of people who have been in similar situations before. Sometimes, just talking to other people can help relieve the burden you may be experiencing from running a business on your own.

Fear is not necessarily bad as it can spur you to prepare more and work harder to achieve success. However, fear of failure may overwhelm you. When it does, just let go and embrace the challenge. The benefits it will bring will surprise you.