Once upon a time, I was overwhelmed with “what ifs,” specifically, what if I fail. The thought of potentially disappointing my customer filled me with dread as I took on new website development and copywriting projects. When I was invited as a guest speaker at an event, my first thought was:
“Why would they ask me to speak? They’re going to be so disappointed!”
My fear of failure has stalled my progress as a business owner. I was afraid to grab the opportunities that laid before me…until one day at a coffee shop, I saw a woman rejected her pastry order because…I can’t remember why now, but she was disgruntled and sent her order back.
When the server returned apologetically with a presumably fresher pastry, her face lit up, and she turned her smile upside down, thanking the server for her service.
That got me thinking: what if failure is inevitable, but we can always make it right?
Two years after starting my own business, I can say that my a-ha moment at the coffee shop that random day couldn’t be more accurate: people want a solution to their problems. You will sometimes muck up (and trust me, you will). What’s critical is how you handle your mistakes and how you make it up to your customer. Most people are forgiving, and you can make things right. There is no point worrying about the what-ifs and letting it stall your progress….
because on the flip side of your imaginary worst-case scenario is this:
What if your worries don’t eventuate, and you are on your way to greatness?
