What Small Business Owners Should Learn From Watching the News

So often I go to small business meetings and am appalled that many of the other owners have no idea of major current events or say, “I don’t care” or “It doesn’t affect me.” This tunnel vision is not a good way to learn how to do things better in business or life.

In this morning’s news there is a sad story about an 8-year-old boy, who walked home alone for the first time in his life, got lost, and was then brutally dismembered by someone in the neighborhood. This story has a compelling message for all of us. 

As a parent educator I understand that we live in fear for our kids. As a small business owner I live in fear of losing a client. As a wife (once remarried) I worry about the uncertainty of another marriage. As a mother of three children and stepmother of two more, I know that my job is to keep them safe and healthy at least until adulthood – while also teaching them to be independent. I admit, even though they are now teenagers and older, I am still terrified when they drive, go out with friends who may not have the best judgment, are tempted to drink alcohol, etc.

However, we cannot be overcome by our fear. We must acknowledge it and handle it in every aspect of our life.

Here are some hands on tips for dealing with fear:

• Acknowledge your fears: Whether you are hiring a new person, creating a new marketing plan, doing something new in your business out or your comfort zone, acknowledge your fears.

• Acknowledge there are things in life out of our control: The cruel reality is that even if this young boy had been accompanied home, a car could have hit him or there could have been another tragedy couldn’t have been foreseen. We cannot control everything.

• Have a mentor: This may be a colleague, coach or friend who is going to push you – tough love is one of the best antidotes for overcoming fear.

• Take baby steps: Rome was not built in a day. As I have said before, my favorite Nike saying, “Just Do It,” is a mantra I say to myself daily.

We cannot let these horrific stories and the resulting fears stunt our own growth. Living 100 percent safe is not a realistic way to be in work and life. Small business owners must learn from all lessons around us, the good the bad, about fear and courage, to make us better at all we do.