I had shared with a friend that a blogger I follow talked about how he was scared when he left an executive job to start his own consulting and speaking business. He’s very successful, and very scared. Why is it that we look at successful people and either assumes it comes easily or that they have not felt the emotions we do?
We talked about how most advances in our lives have been proceeded by feeling scared. And that long periods when you are not scared could be times when you are coasting and not growing.
We agreed to start a “scary
list” that we would review at the end of the year. If we didn’t have ten things on our list then we weren’t living up to our potential.
There are a couple things on my list. The biggest (and one I am most scared about) is my book launch. I am confident that it will go well be that doesn’t mean that I am not scared; it’s not a rational emotion. Perhaps it’s the “live without a net” nature of first-time events that makes us scared. Whatever its source, the main point is that it comes when you are growing. 
As I keep working toward a successful launch I will become less scared. That’s how it seems to work. And maybe some “scariness” is required to propel me to greater heights. It’s been that way in the past. Then it will be time to scare myself again.
What’s on your scary list?
Phil
