“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie

By now I hope you are aware I have republished my book. This time I worked with a publisher specializing in short, useful content for entrepreneurs.  With this publication I’ve reached a long-held goal and crossed an item off my bucket list. Yay me!

Unfortunately, the self-congratulations only lasted until this last weekend when, over breakfast at a B&B I met two gentlemen from the UK traveling the USA on a book promotion tour.

“I’ve also published a book,” I told them, “but no one is sending me on a promotion tour.”

With that self-deprecating statement I realized that, having accomplished one big goal, I find myself standing at the bottom of the next big hill.  Having published a book, I now must market that book.

Welcome to the wheel.

So, in response, and for my own encouragement, I am revisiting my own advice.

I begin with revisiting the early chapters of my book. Chapter one addresses confronting fear.

Hello, My Old Friend: Doubt and Fear

These are my fears:

• I am afraid of marketing, putting myself out there, inviting the world to judge not my book but me.
• I am afraid no one will care.
• I am afraid of failure.
• I am afraid of success.
• I am just plain afraid.

According to David Rock, Director of the NeuroLeadership Institute and one of my teachers, our basic human fears have changed. Now that predatory animals are increasingly uncommon in our daily lives, our basic human fear is of our social experiences, our social status, being autonomous (think independent and free), having personal connections and being treated fairly.  The trouble is, because of our primitive ancestral brains, we tend to react to these common social threats as if they were lions. We respond to social threats with the same flight or fight response we used to use to run from lions in the veld.

Note to Self

Changing one’s familiar, low stress status quo for the adventure of starting a new endeavor, such as marketing a book or starting a business, is a threat with many associated social fears.

My, and your, fears are real, but not as life threatening as they seem.  Fear does not need to be a showstopper.

The key to acting is to feel the fear and do it anyway.

There are neuroscience-based ways to overcome our natural, human fears and begin moving forward. I will share some techniques in my upcoming posts.  Meanwhile…

Need A Self-Coaching Guide?

We all need support and encouragement especially when we are afraid.  I know I do.  If you do too, I can help. I have written a book that will, among other things, help you to manage your fear and take purposeful action.

One key to managing your fears is to take the time you need to create a plan for your business. When you take the time to learn what you need to know and get clear about what you need to do, you will gain emotional control.

Follow this link,  From Vision to Decision: A Self-Coaching Guide to Starting a New Business to buy the book at any one of these sites.

Photo by Francesco Tommasini on Unsplash