How many times a day do you read on social networks the invitation to get out of your comfort zone? I have lost count. What I know is that it''s one of those phrases that invite you to get up from the disruptive side of the bed until you leave the comfort zone, and the view is no longer so comfortable.
Entrepreneurship recommendations always start from what I call "technical needs": the business plan, studying the market, defining the product or service well, etc. All fundamental without a doubt, however, there is something that they never tell you, and that can be a barrier to push even the most reliable idea: you will have to face many fears.
Starting a project means entering a path of constant change, which will inevitably generate uncertainty, and that is scary. Partly because we have been educated to find and build a comfort zone, take only the strictly necessary risks, and avoid mistakes at all costs.
I''m not just talking about the professional side. We also have a high level of personal demands to be perfect wives, perfect mothers, exemplary employees. So the possibility of not being entrepreneurs can be very stressful.
For me, it felt like a swimming competition, where you stroke at full speed to get to the other side until you realize that you are not in a pool but in an open sea, which implies that at any moment the tide can change and you are back off where you left.
It was not until I reconciled that uncertainty was going to be a constant that I began to enjoy going and coming from the waves more. No company becomes stable overnight, and even when it does, it may be that something in the environment changes, causing it to rethink it.
According to the study "Fears of Entrepreneurship", 60% of Mexicans are afraid to start a business, however within 40% of the ones who do, a third has been more successful than expected, and almost half consider that they have had results aligned with the business plan.
To improve our relationship with uncertainty, I would recommend taking a notebook and answering the question straight forward, what scares you? The five main fears for female entrepreneurs are fear of failure (and the day after failure), failing who trusted you (family members who invested in the project, people who collaborate with you or your clients), risking patrimony, delegating. The uncertainty of not knowing will bring you stability.
(Photo: Pixabay)
I am not going to lie to you; we have gone through all of them; however, there is a tranquility that comes when you define fear, confront it, and start thinking about possible solutions. You will be surprised by the number of tools and resources you have to face them, even in hypothetical situations.
The moment we are in is a clear example of the flexibility we have to face the unknown. We have turned the house into an office, restaurant, school, gym, why not also turn it into the epicenter of something new?
Once reconcile with the idea of swimming in the open sea, surround yourself with a team that propels you on the journey: a mentor, a friend who listens to your ideas and gives you feedback, family (by birth or choice) that reminds you of your abilities and if you decide, an accomplice to relay on.
Our next topic will be on how to build a value proposition.
Traducción: Valentina K. Yanes