Chat#112 – Overcome Fear & Unlock Your Entrepreneurial Potential – Who’s Interviewing Who?

Fear is one of the most common hurdles entrepreneurs face on their journey to success. In this insightful discussion between Gresh from the CEO Chat Podcast and Inga Maskun, we dive deep into understanding fear—not as an enemy, but as a natural companion on the path of entrepreneurship. This article explores how fear manifests, practical ways to neutralize it, and how to harness it to unlock your true potential.

Understanding Fear: A Constant Companion

Fear is not something we can completely eliminate. Inga shares a powerful perspective: “Fear will always be around us. Why try to haggle with it?” Instead of fighting fear, the key is to make peace with it—acknowledging it as a friend or a companion in life. Just like some friends we live with even if we don't always sync perfectly, fear is something we can learn to coexist with and navigate around.

This mindset shift is crucial because many people misunderstand fear. They want to get rid of it entirely, but fear often arises even before we are consciously aware of it. It can stop us from pursuing our dreams or starting a business. Normalizing fear as neither good nor bad but simply present allows us to begin working with it rather than against it.

How Fear Shows Up: Four Common Forms

Inga identifies four ways fear can disguise itself, particularly when pursuing entrepreneurial goals:

1. Delay: Putting off action with thoughts like “I’ll do it later” or “I need to do something else first.”
2. Distraction: Getting sidetracked by less urgent tasks or excuses that prevent focus.
3. Dissuasion: Internal voices that sow doubt, such as “You failed before, are you really cut out for this?”
4. Freeze: Feeling stuck or overwhelmed to the point where you can’t move forward.

These forms often feel practical or logical but are actually fear in disguise, trying to keep you from stepping fully into your potential.

Neutralizing Fear: Tools and Mindset Shifts

Neutralizing fear begins with making an upfront agreement with yourself: you cannot get rid of fear, but you can let it guide you without dominating your decisions. When dissuasion arises—those internal doubts—question their validity. For example, if you failed before, remind yourself that you are better equipped now, perhaps with mentors or coaches to support you.

Working with mentors or coaches can help transform the inner voice of fear into one of inspiration and empowerment. They serve as sounding boards that help you challenge limiting beliefs and take meaningful action.

Another powerful way to neutralize fear is by shifting the questions you ask yourself. Instead of asking limiting questions like “What if I fail?” or “I don’t have enough money,” try reframing to empowering questions such as:

• “What can I do to move forward despite fear?”
• “What resources or support can I find to help me succeed?”
• “What is the vision I am working towards, and how does it feel?”

Inga shares a compelling example from her mentor: instead of asking how to travel to France without losing money, she asked how to travel to France and make $10,000. This shift in mindset opened up new opportunities and creative solutions.

Operating with Fear: Clarity, Decision, and Action

Fear tends to be more powerful when there is a lack of clarity or a clear vision. Entrepreneurs often face conflicting voices: the excitement of being their own boss versus doubts about their qualifications or past failures. Inga reminds us that learning any new skill, whether biking, cooking, or running a business, involves trial, error, and persistence.

Making a firm decision to be “all in” is critical. Dipping toes in the water isn’t enough to overcome fear and uncertainty. Once you decide to pursue your vision fully, fear becomes a signal that you are expanding and stepping outside your comfort zone.

Gresh echoes this, noting that successful entrepreneurs develop a strong relationship with time and purpose—they see their investments as opportunities to open doors, not just costs to avoid.

Barriers to Moving Forward: The Enemy of Great is Good

One of the most subtle fears is contentment with “good enough.” Many people settle because their current situation feels comfortable or “good,” even when their dreams could be bigger. This is a form of dissuasion—fear reasoning that warns against risk and urges staying safe.

Inga highlights a powerful mantra from her school days: “Don’t settle for good when you know you can be great.” Recognizing when fear is trying to keep you in that comfortable “good” zone is essential to pushing beyond limits.

Whether someone is facing a layoff or considering adding a new venture, those with an abundant mindset who embrace growth tend to overcome fear and take bold steps forward.

Love as the Opposite of Fear

Love is a compelling force that pulls us beyond fear. Inga and Gresh discuss how love—for your family, your passion, your purpose—can fuel the courage to act despite fear. Love invokes different senses and motivation than obligation or responsibility.

For Gresh, faith and a deep love for entrepreneurship provided the drive to push through doubts and challenges. This love, combined with an abundant mentality, opens doors to greater possibilities and success.

Listening to Your Intuition and Inner Voice

Entrepreneurial ideas often come from a small inner voice—an intuition or calling to grow and expand. Growth is a natural order of the universe, and resisting it often stems from conditioned beliefs or fear-based messaging to “be humble” or “be grateful with what you have.”

Recognizing and nurturing that inner voice, rather than suppressing it, is vital. Growth and expansion are signs that your dreams are alive, and fear often signals that you are pushing boundaries.

Taking Action and Staying Open to Opportunities

Fear can be settled by taking action and opening yourself to receive guidance and support. Inga encourages celebrating awareness of fear rather than condemning it. When fear arises, acknowledge it, then shift your focus to moving forward with openness to unexpected opportunities.

“When the student is ready, the teacher will show up,” Inga reminds us. Often, the resources or people who can help us are already present—we just need to be ready and receptive.

This openness can lead to serendipitous connections and breakthroughs, helping entrepreneurs move beyond fear into empowered action.

Conclusion: Embrace Fear, Cultivate Vision, and Take the Leap

Fear is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurial journey, but it does not have to hold you back. By understanding fear’s many disguises—delay, distraction, dissuasion, and freeze—you can learn to recognize when it is trying to stop you.

Neutralize fear by making peace with it, shifting your mindset to abundance, asking empowering questions, and cultivating a compelling vision rooted in love and purpose. Surround yourself with mentors and coaches who can guide you and help transform fear into a motivating force.

Finally, take decisive action and remain open to the unexpected. Your dreams are bigger than your fears, and stepping outside your comfort zone is where growth and greatness happen.

If you’re ready to explore your entrepreneurial potential and need guidance, consider connecting with Inga Maskun at ingemaskun.com or livingyourinspiredlife.com for a complimentary session to start your journey.

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