Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Investing Without Fear - Thinking Without Fear

THINK WITHOUT FEAR
Source: Milliaonaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller

Intersestingly enough, one of the big obstacles for most people who want to Think Action is that they set out actually to take action, they cannot Think Without Fear. They start to move forward, stumble into some obstacles, and find themselves paralyzed into inaction by the specter of failure. And then fear of failure itself becomes our primary fear. It can be arresting. It can stop anyone in their tracks. When you begin to focus on the fear of fairure, you're cooked. When you can't see the possibilities for and the potential rewards of success because the fear of fairure has blinded you, it is time to stop for a moment and reflect.

If you are a possibility thinker, that means you believe you can do this - it is possible. But to "do something." You'll have to take action. If you take action, you will most certainly make some mistakes or fall short of the initial progress you'd hope for. To rephase the popular bumper sticker: SETBACKS HAPPEN.

The good news is that setbacks along the way do not represent total failure and should never get in your way unless you allow them. Think progress, these momentary setbacks can even represent positives, such as learning opportunities. So never let failure freeze you into inaction - very little good can happen when you're not acting at all.

Ironically, for some people fear of failure actually motivates them to take decisive action that's a good thing. It can never be a part of their Big why. Many high achievers have reached for their potential simply because they could not tolerate the thought of the alternative.

Look, we all have our share of failed attempts. It is really a matter of how we view them. Failed attempts are not a failure, so never fear the attempt itself. And keep trying! Charles Kettering warns us of this when he writes, "The only time you can't afford to fail is the last time you try."

Having a Big Why will help you focus on what the Millionaire Real Estate Investor usally has going for him - the power and motivation that comes when you're greatest fear is not reaching your goal. This allows him to slough off setbacks as they go without ever losing his faith or his momentum. He fears ultimate fairure but is indomitable in the face of intermittent failure. Top investor's persevere through the "failures along the way" so that they do not fail at the end of the day.