‘F’ is for Facing Fear: Overcoming the Fear of Messing Up in Business!

The Fear of Messing Up – It’s Real! Today, we’re diving into a topic that plagues both new business owners and seasoned pros – it’s the fear of messing up.

Let’s dive in… we’re going there because let’s face it, we’ve all done it (messed up in some way!).

Black and white photo of a group of women laughing.

It’s an unspoken thing among entrepreneurs and business owners, it begs the question… Why do so many fear failure in the first place?

Some common reasons that people in business fear failure include:

  1. Disappointing friends, family, clients and strangers!

  2. Wasting time and resources on new aspects of business (obsessing about getting it ‘perfect vs done’).

  3. Not living up to expectations (mainly in our own heads!).

  4. Marketing mishaps.

A lot of the time when we want to be successful it’s not just for ourselves, but for a bigger picture, like financial security, more freedom / time with family or future proofing for savings/retirement.

For those of us, reaching higher levels in our business it can sometimes feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders and, as a result, we fear failure because we don’t want to disappoint others and ourselves.

… Oh, it’s worth noting that fear doesn’t have to be BIG and all-encompassing, it can be a simple thing like seeing a spelling mistake or missing an email from a client …

7 Tips to help conquer the fear creep:

  1. Change Your Perspective: Instead of seeing a mistake, flop or failure as a dead-end, view it as a stepping stone to doing it better! Some of our most successful entrepreneurs and business people have faced many failures before getting it right.

  2. Plan and Prepare: The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to mess up. One of the biggest issues that can lead to mistakes being made (and then compounding!) is a lack of preparation or rushing something to get it done or out.

  3. Embrace the Learning: Mistakes are incredible teachers. They show us what doesn’t work and lead us to what does. Think of a time when you’ve failed or done something wrong in the past – what lesson did you learn?

  4. Talk About It: Be sure to talk and share your fears or mistakes with fellow entrepreneurs or mentors, you might be surprised at how often these things happen … you’re not alone!

  5. Practice Mindfulness / Take Scheduled Time Out: Techniques like meditation and mindfulness can help calm your mind and reduce anxiety. If you work from home or even out in the field, schedule breaks and a lunch break in your calendar to physically ‘stop and walk away’.

  6. Break It Down: Sometimes, the fear of messing up comes from feeling overwhelmed. Look at tasks in smaller, more manageable steps to make them less daunting.

  7. Accept that Fear as more Normal, it Can be a Good Thing!: We don’t start a business with the intent to fail. So remember that, when roadblocks or stumbles come our way, look at the ‘Big Picture’.

Embracing the Imperfections!

Remember, no one is perfect, and every successful business owner has faced their fair share of mistakes. It’s all part of the journey. So, the next time that fear of messing up creeps in, acknowledge it, but don’t let it hold you back. Take a deep breath, remind yourself of your strengths, and keep moving forward.

Fear is absolutely a natural part of the business journey, but it doesn’t have to be the driver.