Mentor Wisdom: “If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” - Seth Godin, Author
Mentor Lesson: Scary things might be worth doing
Most people run from things that make their palms sweaty and their heart race. But what if those exact moments are pointing you toward something incredible?
Picture this: Brian Chesky couldn't afford rent in San Francisco. His startup idea? Letting strangers sleep on air mattresses in people's apartments. Everyone thought he was nuts. The idea of asking complete strangers to crash at your place terrified most people. But that exact fear (the weirdness of it all) pointed him toward what became Airbnb, now worth billions.
Or take Sara Blakely, who spent two years getting rejected by hosiery manufacturers. Walking into boardrooms full of men who didn't understand her vision scared the hell out of her. But she kept doing the scary thing anyway. That fear led her to cut the feet off her pantyhose and build Spanx into a billion-dollar empire.
Here's the weird part: fear isn't always warning you about danger. Sometimes it's like a compass pointing toward growth.
When something scares you in business, it usually means one of two things: either it's genuinely dangerous, or it's exactly what you need to do next.
The tricky part is figuring out which kind of fear you're dealing with. Is it the good kind that pushes you forward? Or the bad kind that keeps you safe from real harm?
Smart entrepreneurs learn to tell the difference. They know that launching a new product feels scary but exciting. They know that hiring their first employee makes them nervous but opens new doors. They know that raising prices feels uncomfortable but might be exactly what their business needs.
The secret is asking yourself one simple question when fear shows up: "What's the worst thing that could actually happen?" Most of the time, the answer isn't as bad as your brain makes it seem.
When you can separate real danger from growth fear, making tough business decisions becomes much easier. You start seeing scary opportunities as chances to level up instead of threats to avoid.
As promised, wisdom in under a minute.
Talk soon,
-Chris
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