Why Fear The Unknown In Business?

Think about the last time you took a risk. Maybe you decided to move cities or you finally quit your dead-end job. You were probably nervous about it but how do you feel now? Probably pretty grateful that you took that leap of faith, right?

As you learn more about business opportunities with Physio Inq, those nervous feelings might be coming back to you. Your mind starts racing, going over all the things that could go wrong instead of focusing on what could go right.

We see it all the time with promising future franchisees and current Physio Inq owners looking to grow their clinic and business. The doubt sets in and sometimes, they talk themselves out of incredible opportunities. So, why do we fear the unknown in business?

Here, we’re exploring why we tend to naturally fear the unknown and how to overcome it in the hope that you’ll take a leap of faith in your Physio Inq business.

Why do we fear the unknown?

In an extreme sense, a fear of the unknown can present itself as what’s called xenophobia.

Xenophobia is described as irrational thoughts and beliefs about something that is foreign or strange and it can lead to, in extreme cases, racism and hate.

But in a milder sense, fear of the unknown can affect us in our personal goals. Naturally, we evolved to fear new situations. As hunter-gatherers, it was incredibly unsafe to branch out from the tribe and enter foreign situations. But nowadays, we don’t have to worry about being attacked by wild predators or accidentally eating something poisonous due to branching out.

So, the battle becomes overcoming this innate fear of the unknown and having the courage to reach our full potential.

How to Overcome Fear of the Unknown

Understand Your Fear

As mentioned in the previous section, fear is natural. It’s evolutionarily beneficial to think of all the consequences of our actions first. It’s key to survival and it’s not something to beat yourself up about. Understanding that fear is something we all have to push through will help you get to the next step in the process without paralyzing yourself with shame and guilt for being afraid.

Find What’s Causing Your Fear

Once you accept that fear is a part of life, it’s now time to figure out the root cause of what’s holding you back in this particular instance. You might have to look deep into your past to see the causes of your fear.

Perhaps you’re afraid to fail because your last business venture was unsuccessful. Maybe you had critical parents who stifled your creativity and made you fearful of taking risks. You might have had a bad experience with a business partner that makes you less trusting of others who are trying to help.

Figure out what’s stopping you and try to think rationally about the facts presenting themselves today instead of living in the past.

Question Your Fears

To help you think rationally about your fears, you’ll need to question them.

• What’s the alternative to taking this risk? Do those alternatives present outcomes that are better, worse, or about the same than if I go for it?
• What happens if I’m successful?
• Do I have evidence to support my fear of the unknown?
• What is the worst-case scenario? Can I handle that if it comes to fruition?

These kinds of questions will help you understand that most of your fears are unrealistic so being skeptical of them is essential to moving past them.

Accept All Potential Consequences

Generally, people are afraid of failure, especially when it comes to business and running their own physiotherapy practice. We tell ourselves the story that all our effort was for nothing if we fail. But any master of any field will tell you that failure is the only way to succeed and avoiding failure is the only way to make sure you never achieve your goals.

In order to move past our fear, we have to accept all the potential consequences of our actions - and that includes failure. Embrace that you might fail and look at it as a stepping stone, not the end of the world.

Allow the Fear to Propel You

There are some positives to having a little bit of fear hiding in the back of your mind. Fear of the unknown can help push you out of your comfort zone and avoid complacency. If you’re afraid to fail and afraid of what’s next, just ride that wave and let it be a motivator.

Change is inevitable and it’s impossible to foresee every curve ball coming your way. But the more you let your fear help you to move forward, the more you will trust yourself when things don’t go to plan.

Use Mindfulness Techniques

Mindfulness is quite a buzzword these days but it’s truly a game-changer in overcoming your fear of the unknown. Since it’s essential to constantly question your fears and face them head-on, it’s also essential to constantly check in with yourself - hence mindfulness.

Taking ten minutes each day to meditate and clarify your “why”. This will help you to identify if fear is holding you back or if your actions are rooted in rationality. Overcoming fear is a constant work in progress so slowing down your thoughts and looking inward using mindfulness techniques will help you understand yourself better and improve your decision-making skills.

Date Published: Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Date Modified: Tuesday, July 16, 2024