Part 2 – The Biggest Fallacy About Starting a Business

You are in business and while you are making some money you struggle with managing everything from time, to customers, to money. What are you missing? Why is this so hard? Does anybody really know how to do this? There are three common responses to why business owners do not ask for help.

1. “We’ve got it all figured out”
2. “It will cost to much”
3. “Don’t call us we’ll call you”

The first response would be acceptable if the owner had a complete understanding of every facet of all eight disciplines of business. Interestingly what is underneath that response is most likely some level of fear or ego or a combination of both. Both fear and ego are part of being human and while fear and ego have roles to play sometimes they can have more than an appropriate amount of control. For instance fear is important to help modulate what we expose ourselves to in order to reduce danger.

Like stepping in front of an oncoming car, fear and adrenaline are important to getting us out of the way of danger. However the fear of the oncoming car hours or days after the original event is the kind of fear that serves no purpose. What is even more insidious is our bodies do not know the difference between real fear and imagined fear. The chemical reactions are the same and those who are under stress from over exposure to fear and worry are literally stewing in their own juices.

Ego exists to shape and protect one’s identity. If you experience something new the ego will remind you of bad experiences from the past and try to scare you into staying on the straight and narrow of who you are. However, if we give into all the scare tactics and avoid everything uncomfortable or anything new then the opportunity to learn and grow is squelched.

So as Elizabeth Gilbert says, on the road trip of life put fear and ego in the back seat of the car. They do not get to pick the route, the play list, or the restaurants along the way. They need to come along, but they do not get to drive or navigate.

Stay tuned for more in Part 3.

Real Solutions for Real Business – ClearPathSolutions