The winter of 1932 was one of the darkest in US history. How I wish I were talking about record amounts of heavy snowfall, but you know that I am not. It was the Great Depression that was falling over the hearts and minds and spirits of the American people, paralyzing them with fear. Food lines were longer than every before. Angry mobs were forming. Politicians could not cooperate long enough to find any answers. Even President Herbert Hoover himself expressed a deep sense of hopelessness; so much so that by the end of his term, he was close to despair. “We are at the end of our rope. There is nothing more we can do”.

Who in their right mind would run for the highest office at such a time? One would think them mad. But the man that stepped up to encourage a very weary nation was a man that had already suffered and overcame his own worst personal tragedy. Eleven years prior, while out sailing during a family holiday, he suddenly became exceedingly cold with severe pain radiating down his legs and back. After examination by his doctor, his pain grew much worse, leaving him completely incapacitated. His symptoms proved to be poliomyelitis. Franklin Delano Roosevelt would never again regain control of his legs.

Many believed this disease would prove the death knell to his vibrant political career. It did not. A decade later, President-Elect FDR would take his seat in the Oval Office. He was undaunted–even energized. His inaugural address delivered some of the most powerful words in the history of our nation. You have heard them over and over, but perhaps you have never known the context:

“First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

FDR knew he needed to rally the whole country into action in order to overcome the obstacles. He knew there were few things worse than the condition of paralyzing fear.

The same is true for small business. We may be a little boat in a big big sea. We have our pains, and we may have much against us. But the thing to fear is, indeed, a paralyzing fear that retreats from battle.

Here are just five things that we should fear more than the waves:

Fear inaction

Entrepreneurs get tired and for good reason. We are constantly on guard, knowing the waves can swamp our boat at any moment. We often feel a need to catch our breath, and we must find ways to recharge. It is necessary to find rest. But paralysis from fear or simply coasting downhill, is akin to going backward. Never stop pedaling. It allows your competitor to catch up. And renders us unprepared for opportunity.

Fear succeeding without knowing why

Success is a lousy teacher. Many overnight successes take place because the timing is right, the funding was perfect, and the stars aligned in their favor. The entrepreneur does not know what they did right, and so cannot make it happen again. The first few months are their best, and the business is more like a shooting star. Overnight success can be an accident. If you are successful right out of the gate, the best thing you can do for yourself is to find out what went right.

Fear paper cuts

If you are not failing, you are not engaging in life, you are not growing, and your goals are too small. If your worst hazard is paper cuts, find some loftier goals, extend your reach, and learn to leap the chasm from where you are to where you need to go.  

Fear your own self-talk

Susan had just bombed another interview. She decided to go to dinner with her good friend. To her surprise, her friend offered no comfort. “Of course you didn’t get the job,” she said. “You’re overweight, that outfit is unbecoming on you, and when was the last time you took a class to upgrade your skills? Who are you trying to kid? You are a joke.” Susan would have ditched any friend that spoke to her in that way, and yet she constantly talked to herself that way. The friend was Susan herself. Think about the way you talk to yourself. How would you talk to your best friend if she were in your situation? Be as much of a friend to yourself as you are to others.  Our assessment of ourselves is most likely at some variance from reality. That is why we need to fear. . . 

Fear having no mentors

No entrepreneur succeeds alone. In the multitude of counselors, there is wisdom. You are in the frame. It is very difficult to gain the perspective without someone outside your business providing you with objective feedback.

Beyond these five things, there are many others. In Part I we have already discussed that not being afraid at all is worse than having some fear. And if you have no Vision for your business, as discussed in Part II, you should be very afraid indeed.  

Yes, you can swamp your boat faster with your own two hands than by any of our perceived or actual panic-inducing circumstances. If you feel paralyzed with fear and need some encouragement just now, I prescribe FDR’s entire speech. He found many reasons for continued hope, found many things for which to be grateful, and he refused retreat, despite the dire circumstances. It may provide just the courage you need.

Then stay tuned for the last installment in this series, when we discover the biggest monster of them all.

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Why do we at etc!graphics inc, a graphic design company, care about your business strategies?  Because no matter how beautiful we make your visuals, your graphics will never make more sense than the clarity of your own vision. The clearer your target, the more lucid your marketing, and the better connection from your visual graphics. We want to help you become the best you can be. Join us all this month as we share ways to help your small business sustain and grow in a crowded marketplace. Etc!Graphics is devoted to helping you, the small business owner, think like a marketer.

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