What's the cost of inaction? Don't let your fears hold you back

At least once a month I end up talking to someone whose business could be booming but they’re letting fear get in the way of moving forward – of allowing bigger, better things to happen.

It’s a natural state. One of life’s biggest fears is fear of failure. Everyone’s afraid to flop, to make a fool of themselves, to open themselves to scrutiny, critique, ridicule, mockery. And in business, to lose customers.

But when you give rein to your fears, they will always seem bigger than actually tackling them. Meanwhile, the handbrake of fear is keeping you from being able to impact people’s lives. And wasn’t this the reason you wanted to be in this industry? To deliver impact and to change lives?

When you let your fears rule, what is the cost of doing nothing?

Let’s run through some of the fears that might be holding you back – and debunk them.

1. You’re afraid to change what’s already worked

When you’ve built a decent business and clientele, it can be scary contemplating a different way of doing things. After all, this is your livelihood, this is how you pay the bills and it’s a terrifying notion that changing your income model or strategy could be the difference between success or failing miserably.

It’s ironic, but it’s often when you take the ‘safer’ option that you fail.

Nope, we’re not suggesting you jump off the cliff. At AFLUENCR and at MacroActive, our approach is built around consistency, with systems you can transition to gradually. We want to see you keep doing what you’re doing, just in a much smarter way.

Let’s take a quick look at one of our very first nutritionists. She was working a crazy, round-the-clock schedule. To try and grow her base, she adopted what large influencers were doing and applied it to her small audience, charging a lower online fee. She moved all her in-person clients onto a lower cost web format. Where she used to make $80 per hour, she was now making $80 per person a month and her income took a massive hit. She was frustrated; this clearly wasn’t working.

The best way forward was combining her online tool for the majority of clients with a small pool of clients she could still see face-to-face – allowing her to scale her impact AND income without missing out. Now, she might not have 9000 clients signed up, but she can work with 350 engaged and supported customers who get genuine value from her service.

2. You feel stuck, but others are overtaking you

Despite the fact that you have built a dedicated and engaged base of genuine, organic followers, you don’t want to put yourself out there. You convince yourself you don’t need to take your social interaction to the next level, but at the same time you feel stuck.

Soon, you begin to see your peers and industry rivals pass, leaving you in their wake. They seem to have great opportunities, while you languish right where you are.

By wallowing in the shallows of your comfort zone, you really risk not being able to get to your next level – to realise your personal power, to give your audience more of what they want (after all, they’re there already of their own free will).

3. You’re afraid of screwing up

Public speaking is right up there for most people; bringing about knee-knocking, brow-sweating, voice-trembling anxiety. Which is why many people can’t do it, won’t do it, don’t want to talk about it. FORGET ABOUT IT. It’s the number one reason going live on Instagram and Facebook is so scary for many of our clients.

A live broadcast means there’s no place to hide if something goes wrong. If there are technical issues, if you get stage fright, if you forget what you’re meant to do next, you could look like a fool. But be assured, with each live you do, you’ll become less self-conscious and more confident.

Our best advice here is that if you want to warm yourself up for success, do a bunch of lives. Get four, five, ten lives under your belt. You’ll soon be hosting with confidence and natural persuasion – without coming across as salesy.

You’ll get over that fear of failure, when you realise your audience is still along for the ride. When you’re honest, genuine, and can even laugh off your mistakes, you’ll carry people with you, not push them away.

4. You’re scared to be truly authentic

Like I said, going live is the online equivalent of public speaking – so no wonder it’s terrifying for many. Yet there is a real correlation between those who can go live and those who are successful in building a community. Live streaming builds personal connections in real time and shows who you truly are, with video a really powerful way to engage with your community. With live video, your audience is right there, can instantly ask questions, comment, react, or just follow along.

But what happens if you’re scared to show who you really are? What if being authentically you feels way scarier than going live in the first place.

This is where you can lead with knowledge. This is your moment to teach them something, showcase something new, keep them informed on the things that matter to them. Eventually, as you get comfier with that, you can start to share more of your own story – knowing that your community will come along for the ride with you.

Remember – when you’re in someone’s phone at the gym each morning, you’re creating a face-to-face experience that feels personal and genuine. Genuine means trustworthy, and trustworthy is a great thing.

5. The buck stops with you.

Another fear that holds people back is accountability.

Many can’t get past the fear of leading from the front; being the one, accountable voice that people might want to listen to. You might be afraid to claim the authority space. When you share thoughts, opinions, and products on your platform, it’s out there, it can be challenged, it’s on the record.

When you’re the spokesperson or face of another product or brand, it can be easy to deflect blame or heat if the relationship doesn’t work out, or if they don’t follow through. That’s human nature, and a normal response.

Yet, if you’re not fully behind the product or service you’re promoting, everything else will feel inauthentic too. If you’re truly transforming lives, you’re building the trust of every person in your community.

One way around this might be a partnership. That’s why there are co-founders who can help each other out. Having the support of a partner like MacroActive means each action, every launch can be made with confidence that instead of a terrifying skydive, it’s a tandem jump!

6. You feel like a fake

Then there’s imposter syndrome – that feeling that you’re not as competent, talented or knowledgeable as everyone else seems to think you are. Some of our clients are surprised or worried that what they have to say has any actual merit.

Sound like you? Hey, your followers are already there for a reason – it’s your job to give them more. By staying in helplessness, holding onto your fears, and not sharing your knowledge, you’re allowing your fears to be more important than other people’s lives.

7. You’re a control freak

Conversely, for some of our clients, perfectionism gets in the way of everything they do. And it can be a perfect excuse to keep themselves stuck in the here and now. Part of it is the fitness industry itself – it can be as much about aesthetics and ‘the right look’, as about helping people be their best selves.

So if making sure your new logo is the right shape and size is more important to you than launching a new product or growing your business, STOP, and ask yourself how this is holding you back from your purpose.

You can build a business and create a legacy at the same time

Having the right systems and strategies in place is a real catalyst for many of our clients’ businesses. Operating from a base of trust and support can be the turning point that allows them to look fear in the eye, stare it down and start to thrive.

By freeing up more time with better systems, you can create breathing space to really feel passionate about your industry again; to see your loved ones, to have more financial freedom, to take a holiday, to give new ideas a chance to grow.

When you’re working so hard to create harmony and balance through fitness in everyone else’s lives, you have to remind yourself that you deserve the same.

What’s your legacy?

When you look back on your life and your legacy, what do you want to be known for? Every month that passes that you haven’t used your superpower to its full potential is a month full of lives that you otherwise could have changed.

So you need to decide: when are you going to step up?