What fear stops you from doing what you love?

I’ve been on this journey of building a coaching practice for a little over a year now. I love the coaching side of it. I even love some of the business side of it. There is a side to building a practice I don’t love (yet)! A side I even fear: networking!

The word ‘networking’ immediately causes images to pop into my head of events where I always felt extremely uncomfortable.

These events often felt ‘salesy’ with lots of business cards exchanging hands.

When I had to attend them my preferred ‘modus operandi’ was to get a drink and find a nice quiet corner. From there I would observe and listen.

What can I say? I’m an introvert and that’s what introverts do. We observe and listen.

Don’t get me wrong! I’m not a recluse. I will totally engage when I’m in the company of people I already know. Or with people I have a connection (like a common interest or passion) with.

But I always feared having to go out into the world and network.

And now I have to go networking again! How else will people know about me and the coaching I do?

Or do I?

I’m learning networking is not about all the things I saw happen (but never did) back in my corporate days.

It is not about being salesy or giving out and collecting as many business cards as I can.

Communication expert Amy Castro sums up my attitude towards networking nicely:

Nice to know I’m not alone in this.

Talking to my own coach about this subject also proved helpful. She made this observation:

Suppose I had just broken the binding on one of my skis.

Taking the cable car down the mountain I strike up a conversation with the guy sitting next to me.

Turns out he is an expert at repairing skis and bindings and offers to help out.

Would I refuse his help? Of course not. I would totally take him up on his offer.

I’d then find out what I could do for him. Pay him for his service or do something else to return the favour.

Related Post: Ignore the People Who Still Stop You From Living Your Own Life Now

Slowly my view of networking has been changing.

I’m still not comfortable with connecting with people when I don’t yet know them. Or with people I haven’t spoken to in a long time.

Nor for that matter am I completely at ease in social settings even when I know lots of people there. I may always be too much of an introvert to ever get to that point.

But …

So beware, I might just be reaching out to you soon to find out how I can help you!

In preparation (just kidding!) I’d like you to consider this question:

What fear stops you from doing the thing you love?

As always …

#LiveYourOwnLife #LiveUpToYourOwnExpectations

Now go dare greatly and live up to your own expectations!

Photo credit: © 2013 Gerdi Verwoert