How to Harness Fear as an Entrepreneur

One of the things we quickly learn as entrepreneurs is that the more risk we take the more we stand the chance of being rewarded. The problem with risk is that it comes with the very real chance of failure. Failure is scary. Entrepreneurs deal with fear as a part of their daily life. What makes or breaks an entrepreneur is their ability to process that fear and harness it into something positive. We asked Justin Cobb for some tips on harnessing the fear in business.

Imagine the Worst

One of the biggest effects of fear is that we imagine negative situations and results and let them circle in our minds. We let them become problems without solutions. When our brain is presented with a problem then all we can think about is that problem, and this distracts us and makes us feel stressed out. But when we face a problem it’s no longer a problem. 

One of the best things we can do when we are feeling fear it’s to take some time to imagine the worst possible scenario that could happen in the situation. Then take some time to either decide what people do in the worst-case scenario or to decide how we will deal with it when it does go wrong. Once you have all the worst-case scenarios in your head then they aren’t so frightening in real life. It’s the unknown that is scary.

Reframe Your Fears

Fear is a natural response to a stressful situation. It is not inherently a problem. It’s how we react to it and how we let it control us that causes a problem. Fear can be a force that we can harness to connect us to the most important moments in our lives. 

When you feel fear your first instinct is to run or hide from that fear. But instead, you must take the time to feel that feeling and consider what it is telling you. Usually, it is telling you that this is an important moment in your life. 

Next, recognize that fear is not a part of you. It’s something separate. Something that you feel but not something that you are. 

Finally, take that fear and frame it into a positive driving force. For example, if you’re about to speak publicly and you feel fear, remind yourself that your body is preparing itself to be brave. You are getting ready to perform at your best. That’s what being ready feels like. 

Justin Cobb is an international entrepreneur, based in the US, with a network of companies spanning the globe.