May 15, 2024
Have you noticed how starting new things is often the hardest part. Even things we enjoy, take an effort to set in motion. Only when actions become habits, do they take less effort to start.
Personally speaking, I’m in the habit of jogging most days, so even if the weather is cold, wet and windy, it doesn’t take much effort to get out the door. However, when it comes to going out in the evening, it’s a completely different story. Being a morning person it takes a huge effort for me to get up off the sofa and out the door to networking events, particularly in the winter months.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy networking, I do… once I’m there. It’s just that I’m not an evening person and I have a very comfy sofa… I guess I’m also getting lazy in my old age!
I’m presuming I’m not alone here in my behaviour and that you can relate to what I’m describing. Fact is that when starting something that you do enjoy requires effort, starting something you don’t enjoy requires even more effort, and starting something that actually scares you can be the hardest of all.
Let’s face it, we all do things we don’t enjoy. Filing our taxes or going to the dentist for example aren’t usually pleasurable, but we do them nevertheless. Why? Because the consequences of not doing them are greater than the discomfort of doing them.
If you don’t file your taxes, if you hide your financial assets and don’t report the true value of your earnings, you can expect get a visit from the authorities, taken to court and possibly imprisoned, right? For most of us that’s a big motivator to do something we don’t really want to.
So what happens when you hide your skills and don’t declare your true potential value in life? No one knows, right? Well, no one knows but you and here’s the problem. If you don’t fulfil your potential, if you don’t use the skills you have, you imprison yourself to a life of regret and lost opportunities.
You are an asset to your company
You do add value to your team
You can do this
And this is why overcoming fears is such a challenge. Not because overcoming the fear is impossible, but because we carry the consequences of not doing so on the inside where it can be hidden and rationalised. The urge to not look at our fears is so strong that’t we’ll also find a whole list of reasons not to.
Reasons why you don’t have time.
Reasons why something else is more important right now
Reasons why starting would be too expensive, time consuming, ineffective…
Reasons why it’s just not possible
But as those of you who have got over the fear and started something scary will know, starting is the hardest part and after that things get easier. I’m not saying that everything is easy once you’ve started, but I think it’s partly something about the unknown which makes starting the hardest part.
If I were to bet, I’d say that the most commonly used excuses for not starting something involve one of 2 situations.
Not having the words to ask for help.
Not having enough time and, or money.
Fortunately for you, I have 5 solutions for these situations.
1.Message me and say ‘Hi’. It’s as simple as that. Say ‘Hi’, let me reply, have conversation via chat and see where that leads us. (I’m actually quite a nice person… even my teenage daughter says so!)
2.Book into my diary. There’s a link in my profile where you can book a free 20 minute ‘discovery call’ where we can chat about your situation and how I can help you.
3.Download my short video course. It’s only 11,90€ and has exercises to help you start understanding your insecurities and fears speaking up in front of your team.
4.Ask me for a payment scheme, you don’t have to pay the full amount up front. Or, ask your manager or HR department to cover the costs. I currently provide coaching and workshops in a number of pharmaceutical companies and others, for groups and individuals, why not at your company for you?
5.Join my Facebook group,’The Softly Spoken Scientists Network’ and have the benefit of belonging to group where it’s safe to voice your concerns and get real tips on how to manage your fears from like minded people.
So make a decision here, now… what are you going to do today to start facing your fears and living to your full potential?
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