4 Ways to Power Through Fear and Maximize Success

So many talented professionals are unhappy working in their corporate jobs and dream of being their own boss -- but they’d never make the leap into entrepreneurship because they’re terrified of losing their “job security.” It’s a valid concern, of course. All of us have responsibilities and need to earn a living, but the notion of job security is actually very flawed, if you think about it…just ask anyone who worked for Blockbuster when Netflix came on the scene.

Fear continues to be a debilitating force among those who would be great. They’d rather remain unfulfilled in their “secure” jobs than to design a better life.

Jon Rush, the founder of C7 Device Recycle knows a thing or two about fear. After working in the cell phone industry for ten years, Rush who helped the company he worked for earn millions of dollars, got word that Sprint would not be renewing his contract.

For the first time in his adult life, he had no income, no plan and a big family to support. In order to earn some money while he figured out his next move, Jon began consulting former Sprint customers to help improve their wireless solution..

A year later,Jon received an order to refurbish old phones, making $18,000 in profit…His path was clear now -- he needed to make this his business. He founded C7 Device Recycle and immediately went from just scraping by to generating close to half a million in revenue his first year.

Jon didn’t have time to let fear get in his way. He lost his job and his decision was made for him that he needed to do something else -- which is what prompted him to become a successful entrepreneur.

Here’s four tips for powering through fear and setting yourself up for success:

1. Enjoy each phase.

When you’re an entrepreneur, you know there are going to be highs and lows -- so why not enjoy them? Find a way to revel in each stage, even that scary first stage of deciding to make the plunge. When times are good, celebrate them as much as possible -- chasing those highs will actually help you appreciate the lows.

2. Focus on your "why."

If you think you might have a great idea for a business, its imperative to think about all the ways it can succeed -- rather than focusing on how it can fail. One way to do this is to focus on your “why.” That is, don’t think about what your business is -- focus on why you are creating it. That will give you the answers you need, such as audience size, market demand, and upside potential, etc. When you focus on your why, rather than the how, you see your business as a purpose driven mission, rather than simply a way of earning income.

3. Turn fears into positive questions.

Consciously transform your worst fears into viable solutions for creating a killer business model that sets you up for success. For example, if your nagging fear is “What if nobody wants to buy my product?” -- turn that into a more positive conversation by asking a better question: “Who can really benefit from my product?” and “How can I add value to my industry?” This will force you to really define your target market and give you countless reasons why your business will work.

4. Keep your energy high.

When your energy is low, your mind starts to take over. Stay out of your head and keep your energy high even when you don’t feel like it. We are defined by how we handle things when they don’t go our way and as you embark on your new journey, it is critical to manage your state and only make decisions in a peak state.

Coming out of failure, it is a natural tendency to be overly cautious. Face and destroy your fears and use the skills and drive that made you successful in the first place. This will make you a warrior.