My business is helping other businesses pursue success. It’s a pretty simple agreement – I work with you to develop the tools, the brand and the strategies that will help more people connect with what you have to offer in a positive way.
You would think that this was a pretty clear path. Hire someone who is expert at what they do – and let them do their thing. Strangely, it’s not – and the number #1 reason is fear.
After many years of doing my work I’m now able to identify very quickly the evidence of this in my clients. It usually reveals itself during a large, complex project like a website development but can also happen in the design of a simple business card. I call this evidence “the one exception” – the moment when the client goes digging for a reason to NOT launch, to not got to press, to not execute their idea.
I have a client that is struggling to launch a new business. The premise is strong, the product line is creative and fun, and the demand has been identified. Her main task now is to gather valid contacts and get her first products into production. So she needs – a business card. Very simple.
We designed one for her – a completely appropriate, professional card that articulates her ideas and brand accurately. We reviewed it with her before sending it to print – mind you the investment here is tiny – less than $50.
She balked. “Could we try some different fonts?” – “What if the icon was a different shape?” – “Maybe we should go with a different paper stock?”
Her input is legitimate – but also irrelevant to her goal – she could hand out plain white card with her name on it and it would do 90% of the work that she needs it to do. I don’t need her business card – she does. In fact, her hesitation to go to print on this small item is literally stopping her from pursuing her goal. So why is she hesitating?
FEAR
Fear that this might not be the perfect solution. Fear that once she has the cards in hand she will need to use them. Fear of what follows. Fear of launching.
I’m sympathetic – we ALL do this. We ALL hesitate at the decision point that moves us towards our goals. Here’s my advice to you. Let go. Let go of the fear that stands in your way – because it’s not real. It’s just your imagination working overtime to protect you from the unknown.
See the fear. Identify the “one exception” that is keeping you from moving forward. And then do it – do the thing you fear. It will vanish immediately – just like the mirage it is. Choose action, choose decision, choose to reach your goal.