This country has a great admiration for entrepreneurs. Many people hold up leaders like Bill Gates, Richard Branson, and Mark Zuckerberg as heroes, maybe even gods. Some believe them to be invincible superheroes. But every entrepreneur is human. And each has to battle fears every day in order to reach success. And for each fear they conquer, the better the entrepreneurs they become.
1. Fear of Failure Failure is the most obvious fear for an entrepreneur. Successful entrepreneurs never lose this fear but rather harness its energy to drive harder, faster, and better. And the best know that a bad failure means a great lesson.
2. Fear of Inadequacy Many wonder if they are good enough and smart enough to accomplish greatness. Successful entrepreneurs become great learners so they can fill gaps in their education. They also become masters of recruitment to fill gaps in their capabilities.
3. Fear of the Market Catching the market just right can be like surfing a giant wave all the way to the beach. But as so with the ocean, if you miscalculate the wave's trajectory, it will slam you into the sand headfirst and crush you. Successful entrepreneurs show a healthy respect for market forces and study the dynamics so they can capitalize.
4. Fear of Fraud There are few who gain success without some sort of exaggeration of capability or connections. Successful entrepreneurs are careful not to stretch the truth far beyond reality. Even an inkling of legitimacy allows them to maintain credibility.