K. WOODWARD PERSONAL FINANCE
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach

Random Thoughts

The REAL Reason YOU Will Never Action Your Business Plan

28/8/2011

2 Comments

 
Picture
Sogelau Tuvalu
I have been thinking about why many people never put their ideas into action. The vast majority of us have a business idea every single day but most will never even try to research whether or not it would work. Why is that?

As I pondered through the usual reasons people give, such as the lack of start up capital, the poor economic environment, so on and so forth, I thought of a reason I have never actually heard anyone use, mostly because no one would ever admit it: dozens of people are too embarrassed to fail and this psychological stumbling block holds them back from even trying. It’s not entirely their fault either, culturally we have been bred to avoid embarrassment. This fear has been instilled in most from a very young age. I will elucidate this with two examples.

Example 1: The athlete who wanted to take part in something

This weekend a 17-year old bloke named Sogelau Tuvalu from American Samoa in the South Pacific entered the 100-metres and finished miles behind everyone else; I say miles but it was actually a mere 5-seconds after everyone else, however, in the world of 100-metre sprints, that’s a big difference. 

This man had initially failed to qualify for a shot-put event so he decided he would go the 100-metres and in preparation for that he trained 4-hours a day for a month. On the day of the run he achieved his personal best although he was the last man to pass the finish line. Whilst other laughed at him, he was ecstatic at merely having tried. 

I admire this sort of spirit because, for me, that is what life should be all about: trying your best and being your best.

Example 2: The girl who isn’t embarrassed to ask

That’s me. Two days ago one of my colleagues brought up a situation in which I had asked a highly intelligent question but had mispronounced one word. In fact the mispronunciation was due to the fact that the word is pronounced differently in classical Latin versus in English. I learnt Latin first and that’s how I thought the word should be said and in fact I prefer saying the word that way. Anyhow, he has a laugh and I laugh with him because I don’t take myself too seriously and then I told him that I was still proud to have asked the question because a) in the entire forum of about 200-300 people no other woman asked a question and I thought we shouldn’t just leave the floor to the guys and b) several people wanted to know the answer to my question but asking it would have looked like they were challenging the decision of senior managers; I, on the other hand, am nonplussed by such considerations. 

“I’m not easily embarrassed," I told my colleague, in conclusion.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed,” he answered back, annoyed that he had failed to irk me.

And that ladies and gentlemen is the bottom line. Some people just have such a strong fear of this emotion called embarrassment that they will not put themselves in any position where there is a chance that it could happen. I am proud to be a member of the not-so-easily-embarrassed crew and I hope this will enable me to make positive decisions in my life. 

As long as you believe that you have done or are doing the right thing, PLEASE don’t let the fear of embarrassment stop you from trying to put your dream into action, go for it!
Picture
2 Comments
Ekari Mbvundula link
10/8/2016 07:20:09 am

Most of us struggle with this but we have to make a conscious decision to push through it. Believe that the cost of never trying is far higher than the cost of failing

Reply
Linda Bliss
10/8/2016 07:21:01 am

Hi Heather - stumbled across your blog on Linkedin, its great and I really enjoyed this article too.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    By Heather
    ​Katsonga-Woodward

    I'm always thinking, debating, considering and revising my views - some of those deliberations will be shared right here.

    Categories

    All
    6 Figure+ Business Course
    Baby
    Baby Shower
    Celebrity Lives
    Culture
    Days Out & Holidays
    Diy
    Economic Development
    Education
    Entrepreneurship
    Fashion
    Films
    Food
    Getting To Wealthy
    Healthy Weight
    I Just...
    Life Is...
    Malawi
    Moral Hazard
    Parenting
    Personal Finance
    Politics
    Productivity
    Property
    Psychology
    Retirement
    Social Progress
    Spirituality
    Technology
    Weight Issues
    Women Issues

    Archives

    June 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    November 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    November 2010
    October 2007
    January 2007

Picture

Podcast Links

Wealth Blog 

  • Children
  • Financial Independence / FIRE
  • Pensions
  • Retirement
  • Saving
Buy me a coffeeBuy me a coffee
Picture

© 2007 - 2021, The Money Spot™ ~ Make Money, Change Lives!
Heather Katsonga-Woodward, a massive personal finance fanatic.
** All views expressed are my own and not those of my employer ** Please get professional advice before re-arranging your personal finances.
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach