Let’s talk about fear as innate fear vs. learned fear – we all have some of each.
Like you, I have an innate fear of rejection. It’s painful to be turned away in almost any situation you want to join but are barred, disqualified, or discouraged from pursuing.
Even by knowing that if I never reached out to talk to someone new I’d have an ever-shrinking circle of business friends and associates, it doesn’t automatically make me less anxious.
What I’ve found helpful are ways to reframe the meaning of the outcome. For instance, instead of getting rejected, to getting a new insight. Maybe I didn’t make the sale today, but I did learn more about the prospect’s situation and can use that knowledge to make a better offer next time or to apply it to another student or client in a similar situation.
The thing you want to avoid is waiting until the fear is gone. You want to take action in spite of the fear.
That’s the only way to grow personally. When you grow yourself, you are definitely on the path the grow business now!