COMMON FEARS

                                             THE MOST COMMON FEARS

            DURING MANY OF MY PRESENTATIONS, I DISTRIBUTE INDEX CARDS TO THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND ASK THEM TO WRITE DOWN, ANONYMOUSLY, THE FEARS THAT ARE STANDING IN THE WAY OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH. THEN, I COLLECT THE CARDS AND READ THEM ALOUD.

          WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WRITE ON THOSE INDEX CARDS? IN MOST AUDIENCES, REGARDLESS OF PROFESSION OR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, THE SAME ANSWERS COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN. HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON FEARS THEY IDENTIFY:

     1. PUBLIC SPEAKING OR GIVING PRESENTATION. IN VIRTUALLY EVERY GROUP, THIS IS THE FEAR. THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE TERRIFIED ABOUT SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE.

     2. HEARING THE WORD "NO" OR HAVING THEIR IDEAS REJECTED. THIS RESPONSE IS VERY COMMON AMONG SALESPEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAKE COLD CALLS.

    3. CHANGING JOBS OR STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS. OVER THE YEARS, I'VE NOTICED THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE LISTING THIS FEAR. WE HAVE A LOT OF UNHAPPY WORKERS IN CORPORATE. AMERICA TODAY, AND THEY YEARS FOR A MORE SATISFYING WORK ENVIRONMENT BUT THEY'RE AFRAID TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!

   4. TELLING MANAGERS OR EXECUTIVE "NEGATIVE NEWS" ( WHAT THE MANAGERS OR EXECUTIVE DON'T WANT TO HEAR) THIS ONE IS SELF-EXPLANATORY.

   5. TALKING TO PEOPLE IN UPPER MANAGEMENT. MANY ENTRY-LEVEL WORKERS AND EVEN MANAGERS ARE TERRIFIED ABOUT SPEAKING TO EXECUTIVES IN THE COMPANY. THEY EVEN HESITATE ABOUT TO MAKE "SMALL TALK" WITH THE PRESIDENT OR CEO OF THEIR ORGANISATION-FOR FEAR THEY'LL SAY SOMETHING SILLY OR APPEAR STUPID.

  6. FEAR OF FAILURE. THOSE WHO WON'T TRY SOMETHING NEW FOR FEAR THAT IT WON'T WORK OUT. ( WE'LL TACKLE THIS ISSUE IN MORE DEPTH IN LESSON )

           WELL, ARE YOU SURPRISED BY ANY OF THE FEARS ON THIS LIST? DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THEM NOW- OR HAVE YOU HAD THEM IN THE PAST? THE TRUTH IS, THE OVERWHIELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THESE FEARS AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES

          AND IF YOU HAVE SOME FEARS THAT WEREN'T ON THIS LIST, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN ANY OF YOUR FEARS.... AND YOU CAN OVERCOME THEM!