Have you ever found yourself driving down the highway with a foot on the brake, just in case?
My guess is, you wouldn’t usually do that.
Now imagine yourself accelerating while pressing the brake every time you have a scary thought. Even when there’s no real danger in sight. Sounds absurd, right?
Simultaneously pressing the accelerator and the brake is —obviously— a terrible idea.
And yet, when it comes to business, entrepreneurs do it all the time.
The Brake of Fear: a Double-Edged Sword
Let’s face it: the brake of fear can be extremely useful.
It can save us from a fatal crash.
But, it’s a double-edged sword.
We don’t really need to keep our foot there.
I used live with a foot on the brake. I had fear that my business would come crashing down at any moment. Fear of making the wrong decision. Fear of not being good enough for my business. You get the idea.
We often apply the brakes needlessly—doubting decisions, second-guessing ourselves, and fearing the unknown.
As a result, the entrepreneurial journey becomes a bumpy ride —and a much less enjoyable one.
How Can We Release the Foot from the Fear Brake?
Picture the enjoyment of driving your business without constant fear and tension, hitting the brakes only when there’s genuine trouble.
How do we make this happen?
It’s not about crushing all your fears and insecurities.
It really is much more simple than that.
Let’s go back to the car in the highway.
If you want to get comfortable at driving without a foot on the brake, you need two things:
- Knowing the difference between a scary thought and a situation of real danger.
- Genuinely trusting your capacity to reach the brake easily whenever it’s actually needed.
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That’s it.
It’s that simple.
When you have these two things, you will take the foot off the brake naturally.
Everything else is added complexity that will take us away from enjoying the drive.
