FACING DOWN THE FEAR OF FAILURE OR
REJECTION WITH SOME UNCANNY "CAN'S"

We've all had the experience of being afraid of people
and new situations in which we might experience some
sort of failure, of dreading having to approach and
speak to strangers and having them reject us, of shaking
in our boots at the thought of trying to speak clearly and
persuasively in front of others in order to present a product
or idea.

None of us want to fail, to experience rejection
or to be laughed at. That's only natural. But allowing
these fears to dominate your thinking can keep you from
succeeding as a work-from-home business person.

Here is a reality-based approach to limiting the degree
to which those fears can dominate your thinking or
defeat your efforts to promote your business, products
or ideas.

First, make certain that you know why you're doing
what you're doing. I'm talking about your bottom-line
motivation here: the smiling faces of your family,
the thought of providing for them and yourself well
into retirement, the thought of being able to spend more
time with them doing things you all enjoy doing, the
thought of traveling with your partner or children, of
paying for college educations and weddings and business
expansions. You know what I mean -- your real,
bottom-line WHY.

Second, concentrate on what you want to accomplish
-- intentional planning, I suppose. I find that if I have
set goals for myself that others can block --like making so
many dollars profit in the next 6 hours or selling so many
cases of product -- I can get pretty frustrated when other
folks don't "make my dreams come true."

Instead, I intentionally focus on objectives that depend
upon me alone. My fear and frustration levels will be lower
and my openness to others can be greater as I do this. With
focused purpose, I identify the actions and attitudes that
are under my control:
*I can show up as prepared and full of energy as possible.
*I can reach out to others, offering wonderful products
and opportunities and ideas and give my deliberate attention
to each of them as people, not as objects. (People can
always tell if you're really interested in them or only interested
in closing a sale.)
*I can refuse to demand anything in return of those
to whom I reach out. I will not waste my energy on
expectations over which I have no control.
*I can be positive with others, relying on the
quality of what I'm offering and my personal attention
as enough to win over those who can be won over.
(Remember others can have things going on in their
lives that are so negative and/or hurtful that no amount
of sales persuasion will work. It may even backfire as the
energy you try to extend is repulsed with even more
negativity. A calm, persistently positive spirit is
called for here. You may be the only positive input
some folks have in a given circumstance -- that alone will
make you memorable.)
*I can maximize my opportunities for future contacts
with those to whom I am offering my products. I can
give out samples and business cards (with a smile
and a kind word!) and offer information and friendly
conversation.
*I can have the consistent expectation that the
customers I need will come my way, that the contacts
that are important will show up because I have also
shown up in this positive, open way. Let's face it, if your
fear of rejection has left you closed to interactions with
new folks, they're likely to pick up on that and avoid
you, too.
*I can remain open to learning everything, absolutely
everything, I can learn from the environment, the
experience, the customers, the other people around
me, etc. Some of the contacts I've made and some
of the ideas that have come to me as a consequence
of facing these situations have helped me in ways
I could never have calculated or expected beforehand.

Do I also set hopeful objectives about sales, prospects,
responses to my ideas, etc.? You betcha. But I keep in mind
that only my part is really under my control. When I
concentrate on what I can do rather than on what
other people might do, I have less of a concern about
failure -- and so come away from the experience
feeling positive and without any sense of having
failed at all, even if my ideal goals were not achieved
in that circumstance.

This kind of intentional concentration on the positive, fun,
outreach aspects of your business can have benefits in
many areas of your life. Don't let "what-if-they-reject-me"
thinking rob you of any of the joy possible to you. Instead,
imagine people walking away from you with the idea that
yours must be a positive product or idea or opportunity
because you're such a positive person.

Now, who could ever think of that as anything but being
a real success?

**************************************************
Georgia Ana Larson is a writer/editor/entrepreneur and
advocate of radical hope. You can read more of her
writing at www.aBrighterCandle.com -- and you can find
a product and business opportunity she offers at
www.GourmetJerkyoftheMonth.com


Shannan Hearne
http://www.SuccessPromotions.com
Aloe Vera based skin care http://www.shannan.lbrionline.com
Have you "Sparked" today? http://www.advocare.com/05063233
Maikai Scents http://www.MaikaiScents.com ID # 2297100
Kat's Coffee's http://www.katscoffees.com ID # 1111
Gourmet to Go Mixes http://www.gourmetmixes.net/ ID # Shannan Hearne
Charmed by Betty B
http://charmedbybettyb.wahmweb.biz/store/aGo.asp?aff=92903
Love Beef Jerky? Open your own Jerky Store!
http://beafdreams.jerkydirect.com/
Incredible Products for Pets and The People Who Love Them
http://sugar.alphapetproducts.biz/
Charlotte, NC VendorCentralUSA Director
http://www.vendorcentralusa.com/charlotte.htm
Our Holiday Shopping Rewards Program
http://www.SuccessPromotions.com/holidayshoppingrewards.html