Fear can be a driver of decisions and actions in your business, but they don’t have to be.
We all have fears. Fears about how the company will do financially this year, about that crucial new hire who looks promising but is unproven, or about how your new offering will fare in a busy market. Fears can abound, especially if nurtured and given attention.
“The future you constantly worry about, Is nothing other than a projection of fear and desire from the past.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh
Fears can instead be a tool, an indicator. They can lead you to research, to ask good questions, and to explore options. As long as you don’t allow fears to take over the present, they can actually be valuable.
One way to be vigilant about fears is with mindfulness. Mindfulness, that focus on the present, is more than a business fad. It’s a practice that decreases stress and increases productivity.
The leaders of outdoor apparel maker Patagonia are committed to using their successful company as a vehicle to put mindfulness into action. Patagonia founder Yves Chouinard describes navigating what could be a terrifying Class 4 rapid as a teaching:
That intuitive process has helped guide his business for the last 50 years. Chouinard believes that if the process isn’t sound, if your intentions don’t come from the right place, the outcome, even if profitable, doesn’t matter.
Practicing wisdom by making decisions from a place of love rather than fear can open the door to creative solutions.
Fear can be a driver of decisions and actions, but they don’t have to be.
Elizabeth Gilbert in her book, Big Magic, tells the story of treating her fears like an inevitable passenger on a road trip. Fears can and will be there, but they can Never. Ever. Drive.
There Is Such a Thing As Too Much Free Content
When you fundamentally reexamine your marketing strategy, it’s very freeing. You can focus on what’s most important.
Do Your Prospects and Clients Really Know You?
People buy from those they know, like, and trust. How can you help them get to know your business? How can you build their trust?
Postpone Your Impact, and It May Never Happen
Life will always get in the way, if you allow it. We can put ourselves in a holding pattern too. For a long time, I put off starting a podcast. I’m not ready, I said. I don’t know how to do it, I said. I’m scared to do it, I said. I’ve got too much going on, I said.
