When people are afraid, it’s often said that they’re scared stiff. That’s because fear has the power to stop us in our tracks.
And with good reason.
When people lived in caves and the roar of a huge predator scared them into hunkering down, until the threat had passed, it was a life saving strategy to be scared stiff.
However, the business owner who applies that cavemen fear strategy to their business, places a very low ceiling on their potential. Being scared into inaction is always a mistake. Often fatal.
In fact, it’s at times like this that real leaders lead. And it’s where some of the biggest gains of their lives can be made!
For example, when there are negative economic forecasts for their country, industry (or both), their entrepreneurial brain gets to work. They know their fear-frozen competitors will stand still. So they develop a strategy to gain a disproportionate chunk of market-share.
One of my business mentors had a great tip, about dealing with fear. It went something like this:
If you notice fear is stopping you from moving forward, ask yourself what direction the fear is leading you. And if you don’t like the direction, wake up and start leading your business. Because it desperately needs you to regain control.
We know from the 2009 global recession, that fear focused competitors will start cutting back, as they take in the economic warnings. Doubly so, for my UK / European readers; as brexit looms and they have no idea exactly how it will hit them, their customers, clients or suppliers.
That creates a massive vacuum.
A huge chasm of inaction.
And a vast expanse of rare potential!
That expanse will be filled, just as it was in 2009, by strategic, proactive business owners. Business owners with the entrepreneurial spirit to embrace the opportunity and move their businesses forward. Business owners like you, my friend.