There was a question posed on twitter this week “When were you the most nervous?” My immediate response was, when riding my motorbike around my farm, I was surrounded by 6 drunk, drugged, or both, political thugs during the chaotic farm invasions in Zimbabwe in 2000 -2002. Their intent to do me serious harm was obvious (13 farmers were murdered and hundreds of people severely beaten up in this period). Luckily, I was able to escape unharmed by aiming my bike at the ringleader and taking off as fast as possible.
The question has been niggling away in my mind all week, and I realised that although that incident did increase my heart rate somewhat, when the adrenaline rush subsided, I felt extreme anger, not nervousness.
So when have I been very nervous?
The most nerve wracking experience for me was having to take my driving licence test at the age of 54 after arriving in Canada. My Zimbabwean licence was not acceptable here. Although I had been driving for close on 40 accident free years, I found this experience to be almost enough to reduce me to a quivering wreck. Fortunately I passed.
A close second was creating and publishing my first website, setting up autoresponder messages and starting email campaigns. I had visions of doing something wrong and being locked up as a spammer or worse.
It is amazing how venturing into unknown territory can make the bravest people so nervous that they are afraid to take the next step.
So how do we overcome this fear? Just take the next step. Believe me if you take that step the next ones get easier.
If you are nervous about taking the next step to setting up your website, blog or autoresponders, here is a resource that I have found very useful and well worth the investment. The List Building Club
Wishing you success in all your endeavours.