Part of creating a successful business is the mindset. We’ve talked about mindset before, but let’s take a deeper look into getting your head in the game and creating the success you want.
“How do you handle the fear of failure?” We all have that voice in our head that tells us to play it safe, to do what we have to and avoid anything that can lead to failure. That’s the voice that leads to the path of a mediocre life. To me, THAT is a failure. Self-doubt kills more deals than anything else. I was talking to a good friend over the weekend who is plagued with self-doubt that has kept her from doing the things that she wants to do and living the life she wants.
You can conquer your self-doubt! You can get – and keep – your head in the game and overcome that voice that tells you to be safe and not commit to that life that you want to live. Want to know how?
Find a YouTube of a baby. Seriously. Watch the baby fall down, get up, keep going and then do it all over again without any fear of getting hurt. It doesn’t even occur to the child that he or she can even get hurt. Now, do what the baby did. The baby actually approaches learning to walk, run and everything else without fear. We are born without fear and learn it over the years. My Dad used to tell me that we should be more child-like. Not childish, but child-like. We can learn a lot from those fearless creatures!
A friend refers to fear as False Evidence Appearing Real. I don’t think that this is original, but what it does say is that fear is in your head. There are times that you need to respond to fear, but most times it is not real and we need to question whether it is our insecurities that is leading to the emotion or if it is something that we need to listen to. Learn to recognize when it is real and when it is not. That is how you get a handle on how to react to it.
Like attracts like. Winners attract winners. Surround yourself with people who have gone through the same problems that you are facing and have come out on top. They can tell you whether or not your reaction is normal. If they tell you that you need to pay attention to your fears, then pay attention to them. If they tell you that you are on track and things are going well, then you know that you have nothing to worry about. I have talked about my Power Team many times. When I start wondering if I am on track with my vision on my house, I talk to my designer. If I am worried about the construction budget, I talk with my Contractor. Surround yourself with people you trust who are experienced. This is one reason that I have a partnership program. It lets me help people through those scary, stressful deals and allows them to keep their head in the game.
I’m a HUGE believer in Napoleon Hill. If you haven’t bought the book “Think and Grow Rich”, run and go get it. The original 1938 version is available online and has fallen into public domain… if money is an issue. One of his key beliefs is that words are powerful. Words create who you want to become. To quote someone we all know and love, “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” We need to all be conscious of our language and talk in positive ways to create the life we want. My Dad, another wise man, always said “Can’t never could” when I would say that I can’t do something. He kept telling me that as long as I believed I couldn’t accomplish something, I wouldn’t accomplish it.
Set goals for yourself…measurable goals. In conjunction with Club in Action and Cornerstone Investments, I am holding a Goal Setting Workshop for real estate investors. Setting goals that keep you accountable are critical in keeping your head in the game. It allows you to see where you are, where you want to be, and helps you see when you are off track. If you track your goals, you will have insight into when things go wrong and, more importantly, when they are right.
One quick quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson explains it all:
“Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Last weekend I was looking at a house and ran into another investor who knew me from my internet presence, even though we had never met. I knew that she hadn’t done any deals yet, but there she was looking at a house that has a sale price of $1,415,000. Knowing that she would need both the Hard Money as well as the gap funding, she was proceeding to just jump in and buy the house. I was very impressed with her courage and willingness to be unreasonable in the face of what most new investors would be afraid of. If you are afraid of something, do it! It’s often referred to as, “baptism by fire”. That is the only way to overcome it. She will be successful because she has that warrior spirit and is willing to get into a starting contest with fear itself.
If anyone has more questions or wants more one-on-one coaching, don’t hesitate to contact me. This is a passion for me and I truly enjoy sharing what I know with others. Thanks for coming by and getting a bit of the education. Until then, remember that you, too, have that inner warrior that it takes to achieve greatness and success. Feel free to drop me a line at Coaching[at] BaileProperties.com.
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