Fear Holds Most People Back From Web Success
In my experience running several web businesses—and seeing others either do the same or attempt it—I have seen one common hurdle. It’s the biggest thing that prevents most people from achieving the level of success they’d like.
Fear.
Fear comes in many disguises—such as self-doubt, low self-esteem and criticism from others. Regardless of what you call it, fear prevents people from making a commitment to their goals and sticking with a plan when things go off course (which they always will).
Here are some ways I have found to overcome fear and keep going against the tide:
- Silence your inner critic. Consider him/her that nemesis you are dead-set on proving wrong. Turn negative thoughts into challenging statements and will yourself to succeed.
- Silence your outer critics. Accept that lots of people would secretly (or openly) like you to fail, or have failed themselves, and they will not stop in finding all kinds of ways that you, too, will fail.
- Stop comparing yourself to others. There is always someone who has been doing it longer than you have, or for whatever reason has some mojo going that you don’t. Find your own rhythm and enjoy the music.
- Take action. It might be just another small step, but keep moving.
- Stick to the topic. There is a great tendency to start something then water it down by chasing after some new shiny object. Resist this and stay focused on one common theme.
- Ask for help. Lots of breakdowns occur when you try to do everything yourself. And don’t assume everything is (or should be) free.
- Adapt as you go. Every one of us has some challenges that affect how much we can effectively get done. Be willing to experiment and change your habits if something isn’t working.
- Keep track of what you’re doing. Make to-do lists and calendar items and check off completed tasks. It’ll make you feel good to chart your progress.
- Celebrate small victories. A few more page views a week, or a new subscriber to your email list are sometimes all you need.
Photo Credit: PSD
