This post is by Michael Pollock, the original owner of Small Business Branding. Yaro Starak now owns and produces the latest content for this blog.
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So many things in life are just like the first time I had sex. It was something I knew I had to do and wanted to do, yet I was scared shitless all at the same time. Riding a bike the first time was pretty much the same (although it lasted a bit longer). So was driving a car. And riding a roller coaster. And changing my daughter’s diaper. And speaking in public. The list goes on and on.
(And you thought this was really going to be about my first sexual encounter.)
My friend Helaine, a women’s business coach, shared something this weekend that made me think of all this. About a year ago, she began doing speaking engagements. I remember the first few times she did it. I’d get a nervous phone call asking for support to help her get over the inevitable jitters that come with speaking in public the first few times. "Just show up and do you," I’d say, "and people will love you."
Of course I was right. This past weekend she says, "I think I’m getting addicted to this speaking thing." Of course she is. Because people DO love her. And she’s got some experience under her belt. And she has a backlog of people who want to work with her. And she’s sold several of her passive revenue products. How could you not be addicted to results like that?
All because she pushed through the inevitable fear that comes with ANY new experience.
Take out a piece of paper, and write down the top 5 things you suspect would help your life or business improve but fear actually doing.
Now, go do them.
Just imagine it’s sex.