How to Overcome the Fear of Failure in Solopreneurship

Run a one-man show? Solopreneurship is indeed a dream come true for most people. It requires a lot of self-discipline to succeed. And if you’re the type who has a “can do” attitude and loves the feeling of independence, you’d be a happy camper.

But there’s one major factor that’ll hinder you from becoming all that you want and moving forward: The fear of failure. You should be aware of it when it strikes, and crush it before it destroys your productivity.

In this blog post, let’s talk about fear and how to overcome it.

Fear is normal but you have to work on it.

First of all, let me say that it’s normal to be afraid that things may not work out in business.

Whether it’s not offering an enticing product, receiving zero responses when you spent 12 hours to write a blog post, or getting negative feedback, fearing that unfortunate events may unfold happens to everyone.

After all, fear is also a tool that motivates you to stay out of trouble.

But do you allow fear to stop you from living your best possible life as a solopreneur? No. In fact, each moment you spend imagining the ways you can fail decreases your chance of succeeding because you become immobile.

Embrace the that mistakes, even costly ones, are part of growth.

There’s a quote that I struck me and I think will greatly help you: “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” Now let’s use the word “success” instead of “praise” and “failure” instead of “criticism.”

Errors in business teach you to do things MUCH BETTER next time if you choose to see it that way. Adopt this kind of mindset and you’ll be more receptive to learning and actually improving.

Live in the moment.

If life is short, why would you spend the majority of your time worrying about the future that is uncertain - or worse, get plagued by the past? Anything that had happened and hasn’t yet are irrelevant.

I’m not saying that your goals don’t matter. They matter. Past experiences have taken you to where you are. But what matters most is your present moment. You have 100% control over it. Savor the moment and give your all as if all you have is now.

What can you do for your business now to improve? What are bad thoughts that steal the progress that can happen today?

Know what triggers fear and do something about it.

You might not be aware of it, but sometimes you are the one to blame for your fear of failure. You set personal traps in your path. For example, you chose to stay in bed until 10:00 AM when you know that waking up a little earlier makes a world of difference in getting things done.

As an occasional self-limiter, you create excuses and wallow in misery when the consequences arise. Learn to get past these bad habits. Restructure your thoughts. Create better standards. Work harder. Fear happens when you know you could have done something but chose not to.

Suggested Reading: Practical Steps to Having More Productive Solopreneur Mornings

These are the ways to overcome fear as a solopreneur. Lastly, when you're finally able to get things done, don't forget to thank and reward yourself!