Hi friend,

Can you believe it's already the second week of April? I hope you are continuing well-deserved self-care during our "This Is My Year" journey. I know I've been soaking it up!

As we continue our learning this week, let's delve into two of the biggest fears: Fear of Failure and Fear of Rejection.

Fear of Failure is something we all grapple with—it affects so many aspects of our lives. Whether it's starting a new business and worrying it might not take off, or trying to learn a new skill while fearing we won't master it as we hope. Just imagine, though: What if failure wasn't even on the table?

What would you try?

Do you find it too hard to imagine? Here's the thing: Failure is just the First Attempt In Learning (F.A.I.L.). It's a crucial part of the journey. Take Sara Blakely, for example, the genius behind Spanx. She faced countless rejections before finding success. In 2012, Forbes crowned her the youngest self-made billionaire. Sara understood that failure is simply part of the process, and she kept going even when facing this fear.

Now, let's talk about the other big one: Fear of Rejection. How often do we hold back from trying something new simply because we fear rejection? It's a fear we associate with being young and unsure of ourselves, but it can permeate our adult lives in so many ways. As humans we love to feel we belong; we're tribal herd animals after all. And the fear of not belonging can send us reeling.

These two fears wreak havoc on our confidence and our ability to tolerate risk. And this can really hurt our businesses and our careers. If we aren't willing to take those leaps, we can't move forward.

Take building a client list for example. Fear of failure and rejection are both strong sentiments when trying to find potential clients and getting them to book with you. But here's my main point for this week:

To succeed, you must be able to promote yourself, which usually triggers both fear of failure and rejection.

DO THIS

So, here's a challenge for you: Work on your elevator pitch. What’s that you ask? Imagine you're in an elevator with someone who could be a game-changer for your business. You've got the time it takes for that elevator to reach its destination to pitch yourself and your ideas.

Here are the basic elements of any elevator pitch:

Start with a friendly greeting.

Grab their attention with a compelling hook.

Identify a problem your idea solves.

Present your solution and its value.

Highlight what makes you stand out.

Share any proof of your success.

End with a clear call to action.

THINK THIS

You have a solution to people's problems, and in a unique way you are able to offer something that no one else can, because there's only one of you. Don't focus on fear, focus on the outcome of conquering your fear.

And if you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of self-promotion, remember: It's just your fear of failure and rejection talking.

Write your pitch, take that first step, and if at first you don't succeed, well, you know the drill—try, try again!

You've got this. Just take that first step.

Warmest regards,

Liz