The best thing about being human is that we’re all blessed with a large brain. Compared to almost every other species on earth, our brain is massive relative to our body size.
The worst thing about being human is that we’re all cursed with a large brain. Compared to almost every other species on earth, we spend an inordinate amount of time worrying.
And for the most part, we waste our time worrying about things that never happen.
What’s stopping you?
Starting your own Internet business is a fantastic thing to do. You’ll love it! So what’s stopping you?
If you’re like me, then it will probably boil down to a fear of the unknown. Will your business fail? Will anybody want to buy your product? What don’t you know that you need to know?
Will your friends laugh at you?
The strange this is, when I really looked at what was stopping me, it came down to that last one. Will my friends laugh at me if it doesn’t work?
I remember sharing with one friend that I wanted to start an Internet business. He gave me a scornful look, and told me it was a stupid idea, because ‘nobody makes any real money off the Internet.’
That was 10 years ago. I quit my job within 6 months of starting my business, and am now working full time in business on the Internet. What’s more, I’ve traveled the world with this business. The entire operation is run out of a laptop, and I can literally pick up my business and go.
It’s a wonderful experience, and made possible only because I decided to jump in.
Looking good
Of course, it’s easy to look back now and see what a great idea it was to start my own Internet business. But back then, when I was just getting started, I was terrified.
Back in 1999, I remember sharing my fears and dreams with a more supportive friend. She suggested I take a good hard look at myself and find out what I was scared of. She hinted that I might find out it was something unexpected that was stopping me.
I took up her challenge, and yes, I really was surprised. When it came down to it, my fears about losing money and failing at business were completely overshadowed by a fear of how other people might think of me if I failed.
I realized that my fear came down to fear of how others would view me. I wanted to look good in their eyes, and was scared that I wouldn’t.
This was a fantastic discovery to make about myself, and I’ve since come to realize that I’m not the only one who is stopped by this fear.
Just do it
Maybe you’re also afraid to start your own business, in case you fall flat on your face in front of other people?
The best advice I can give you, is to stop thinking about it and jump in. One of my favorite sayings is ‘leap, and the net will appear.’
This is certainly backed up by my experiences. My first two attempts at business were miserable failures. My third was moderately successful, and allowed me to launch the fourth. It was the fourth idea that finally took off, and allowed me to quit my job.
Each of these ‘failures’ may have lead others to snicker behind my back. Frankly, I was too busy to notice. And by the time I quit my job, nobody was laughing any more.
The point is, don’t spend too much time thinking before you get started. I believe you’ll learn much more by jumping in, and learning as you go. Nothing beats experience when it comes to fine-tuning your business skills.
And you can’t get this kind of experience any other way.
