When I was in the fourth grade, I had to sell fertilizer to help support my school’s hockey team. My dad decided that I was going to sell more than any other kid on the team. He rehearsed my sales pitch with me, then dropped me off at an enormous subdivision of maybe 300 homes, and told me to knock on every single door and try to make a sale. After he drove off, I looked down the first street at all those houses and all those closed doors, then I took a deep breath and started knocking.
What did I learn that afternoon?
First, that I was capable of selling a heck of a lot of fertilizer with nothing more than my hockey uniform, a stack of flyers, and a little boyish charm.
Second, I could make something happen with my time and energy. That knowledge would stay with me from then on—including the day when I finally decided to go into business for myself.
How many of us, even as successful and hard-working adults, are still unsure of our own instincts and abilities, afraid to open ourselves to something new, or to take a chance for something we believe in?
The corporate world can be a secure, rewarding place—but if it was giving you everything you need, you probably wouldn’t be here on this blog with me. We’re here to consider whether maybe branching out into a business of your own is a viable, potentially fulfilling and profitable option—whether you could benefit from hiring yourself.
In my experience with hundreds of potential franchisee candidates, I’ve encountered fear and anxiety in even the most qualified and knowledgeable individuals. Franchise entrepreneurship can be scary! I’ve felt it myself. We all do. But experiencing reasonable fear and letting it dictate your choices are two completely different things. If fear is keeping you from investigating franchising, follow these steps to let reason take over.
Tips to Combat Your Fears and Anxiety
Find Your Why
Why are you considering this in the first place? Is your motivation greater financial security? More time with your family? A more fulfilling career? Identify your why, and use it to combat your fears. Whatever your personal why is, it’s the thing that will get you through the tough moments.
Do Your Homework
Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Knowledge is the antidote to fear.” The fact is, the more you know about any potential career change or investment, the better prepared you are to move forward or walk away without allowing anxiety or fear to play a role.
Read about franchise investments. Talk with a knowledgeable franchise consultant. Thoroughly investigate your serious prospects. Once you have all the facts, you can let go of any worries that are based on your fear of the unknown.
Remember How You Got Here
You have a track record of success. You wouldn’t be willing to make the leap to owning a business and working independently if you hadn’t already proved to yourself that you are capable of taking on tough tasks and seeing them through successfully.
When anxiety and fear start closing in on you, take time to remember your previous accomplishments and how you achieved them. Then, refocus on a future of continued, hard-earned success.
Keep Moving Forward
Nothing feeds fear quite like spending too much time stewing in your own thoughts and giving free rein to worries. When you feel anxiety creeping in, take action. Research, make notes, talk with an expert, work on a tentative business plan—or go for a walk or play catch with your kids.
Do something with your mind (and your hands) rather than doing nothing and letting your fears grow to giant proportions in your mind.
Say “No” to Negativity
Our lives are full of people who give us advice, support, feedback and input—whether we want them to or not. As you consider the possibility of franchising—of taking an entirely different path from the traditional corporate career track—there will be those in your orbit who don’t understand why, and even those who will openly oppose your step toward career independence. I encourage you to listen to and consider all advice from advisors you trust, but don’t let anyone make your decisions for you or steer you away from your carefully-considered inclinations.
Choosing to become an entrepreneur is a big, potentially life-changing decision, and it can be a difficult one for people who prefer the status quo to understand. Please don’t let anyone else’s negative or pessimistic outlook color your own judgment or choices.
Eyes on the Prize
Staying focused on your goals may be the best antidote of all to fear and anxiety. Why do you want to HIRE YOURSELF? How do you want your life to differ in 5, 10, or 15 years from the way it is right now? What do you envision your professional life will be like after you make the transition from working for someone else to working for yourself and your own family? When your fears start creeping in, stop everything and refocus on your why, your vision for the future, and the steps you intend to take to get from here to there.
Ready to consider taking the first step to HIRE YOURSELF? We are here to help you find the best franchise match for you.
