What Are You Afraid Of?

The scariest part of your business is something you’ve yet to learn

It’s Spooky Season – Are You Ready?

Forget about ghosts and zombies. If you’re like most business owners, the thing that scares you most is failure. You don’t want to feel incompetent, make mistakes, or look silly in front of your team.

The Scariest Part of Business

Imagine you’re a business owner who started your practice because you know you’re really good at what you do. You love your craft, you love the results you can get for your clients, and you’re motivated by that success.

But this rosy picture tells a horror story, not a fairy tale.

Because as your business gets busier, you can’t manufacture any more hours in the day. Things start to slide, communication slows down, and all that stress and pressure boils over into your family life, causing even more pressure and stress.

You can’t outwork the problems. You need to face them head on. You know you need to hire help and get some things off your plate. You may need to raise your prices and make strategic choices like turning away clients who aren’t the right fit. Instead of being an expert craftsperson, you must start again at the beginning of the learning curve, and learn to be a great business owner as well.

The Levels of Learning

No matter what you’re learning, the path is predictable. For example, my daughter’s learning to play the flute. This is a new development. Previously, she had no desire to learn an instrument. But now, she’s ecstatic because she made a sound for the first time.

She’s gone from the level of unconscious incompetence (you don’t know what you don’t know) to conscious incompetence (I know what it’s supposed to sound like, and I’m not there yet.)

If she keeps practicing, she’ll reach a level of conscious competence (I can play a song, but it will take effort and focus.)

And maybe one day, she’ll develop an ear for music and enough muscle memory to be able to play effortlessly. She’ll reach the level of unconscious competence, where the new skill has become second nature.

Whether you’re learning an instrument or a new stage of business, the levels are the same.

For business leaders who are used to being perceived as an expert, stepping back down to the level of incompetence in order to learn something new is scary.

Unfortunately, the only thing scarier is staying put.

Only doing the things you’re already great at is a recipe for getting stuck.

This Week’s Takeaway

If your business has reached a plateau, it’s time to develop a new skill. That means stepping back to the level of incompetence, and that’s hard to do. But growth means chasing after that feeling of incompetence rather than being afraid of it.

The scariest part of your business isn’t making mistakes, it’s never learning enough to grow.

What’s the next thing you need to learn, and what new level could that unlock?

November 14th: DISC for Entrepreneurs

ActionCLUB is back Friday, Nov 14 from 10-1 in Etobicoke at the London Gate Pub.

I’m also thrilled to have guest speaker Michael Gibben joining me for this session!

We’ll be diving into how to use the DISC model to connect more effectively, build trust faster, and strengthen the way you lead and communicate.

Prize Draw: Two, 30-Minute DISC & leadership growth sessions!

If you’d like to be part of it too, follow the link to register a visitor pass:
caitlinblundell.actioncoach.com/actionclub

How Big Things Get Done: By Bent Flyvbjerg, Dan Gardner

If you’ve ever taken on a project, you know how quickly a big vision can slip off track. This book unpacks why most ambitious projects stumble and what sets the rare successes apart. With research data and a set of tested principles, you’ll find some solid takeaways on how to avoid costly missteps to get any ambitious project done (on time and on budget).

Check it out!