Lets face it, we are ALL successful!! In the most important race we’ll ever win , the race of life, we all battled our way up the fallopian tube and burrowed our way into the egg for a comfy 40 week stay (give or take a few weeks). We’re all winners, in that respect. Now lets think in terms of the Richard Bransons, Steve Jobs and the Oprahs of the world. Why do these people seem to be different? Was in their destiny to become successful icons? Is their DNA different? Is their psychology different?
Kelly Shaver, a professor of psychology at William & Mary College and colleagues conducted a survey called the Panel study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, which began in 1995. 64,622 American
households were called at random, and, from this large group, the researchers found 800 entrepreneurs who had not been in business more than three months.
They also assembled a representative sample of 400 people to use as a control group.
Each participant in the study answered a 15-page questionnaire. From this data, Shaver and others have already been able to draw some basic conclusions. For instance, entrepreneurs and normal people seem to worry equally about financial autonomy and/or a feeling of being motivated in their jobs. (That’s a weight off my shoulders). Neither a need for financial nor personal independence seems to have caused any of these people to start their own business.
Nor, says Shaver, do the entrepreneurs seem to be devil-may-care risk takers. Only a subtle difference in the way they appreciate risk emerged. The entrepreneurs are worse at coming up with reasons they might
fail. “Being able to generate more unpleasant possibilities might be making non-entrepreneurs more afraid,” Shaver says, but we don’t know that.
So far there is one other big difference between those who go into business for themselves and those who don’t, Shaver says. Entrepreneurs don’t care what other people think about them. “They really don’t care as much,” Shaver says. “They’re just happy to go ahead and do what they’re doing.”
Statistically speaking, then, Branson, Jobs and Oprah would appear to have two things in common: They have trouble imagining failure, and they don’t care what you think.
I found this information and data by Shaver to be interesting, as when people ask me what my thoughts are as to the reason most people hold back from creating what it is they desire, I usually tell them 2 things.
- Fear
- Self-doubt (or lack self worth, confidence etc)
Considering part of the conclusion to Shavers Study was that Entrepreneur’s have trouble imagining failure, is a strong indication that their focus is not on fear or failure, but only success. There are many Fears associated with moving forward and starting up your own Business and I think I have almost heard all of them, from various clients. A strong component of coaching is assisting my clients in overcoming their fears to free up their minds and energy for inspired ideas and enhanced creativity. Fear will block you moving forward and hold you hostage to what is familiar, your comfort zone.
If you are experiencing fears in your business or life it’s important to:
1) Recognise what the fear is about eg failing, looking silly, losing money, losing friends, not being good enough, fear of rejection etc..
2) Work through them with either a coach, colleague who’s been there done that or even self development books or courses.
Self-doubt and the “I feel like an impostor to this thing called Success”, is also another saboteur that can put the brakes on. Not caring what other people think requires a strong belief in ones self and certainty about their abilities to perform the job at hand.
To finish off lets not forget that success means many different things to many different people! I bet you are already successful in many areas of your life, so recognize where you are already a success and go make your dreams come true.
Yours in Health and Wisdom
Larissa Halls xx
References : forbes.com/2002/10/18/1018profile.html
