Nothing To Fear

There are people out there that do have fears when starting something new. For me, finding employment has been difficult because I live overseas in Germany but, I needed to take action. I was wondering if my attention was too focused on a specific skill set in terms of employment which decreased the likelihood of receiving an offer. I am an IT expert by trade and recently completed a degree in cyber security. You would think that I could find that perfect job anywhere but, nope!

For this reason, I began looking for other ways to make money but, try to stick to being on the computer in some way. I spent a good deal of time looking, reading, asking questions, and learning how one might make money online. That fear of the unknown was before me and made me reluctant to start anything new.

I spend most of my time looking for jobs and have had several interviews but, I usually end up getting rejected because I do not speak certain languages. This limits my time for attempting anything new. Therefore, whatever it is needs to be easy to do and not take up an incredible amount of time. Besides working, I still have a life which takes priority (relationship, household cleaning, pets, etc.). I’m not afraid of a learning curve because I am pretty good at picking up on technical stuff in a short time.

I actually spent a little time with our mutual friend ‘Google’ to ask about why I should and why I should not try to make money online. While doing so, ‘Google’ directed me to an older article from 2016 titled, “6 Fears That Keep You From Starting Your Own Business.” It is an interesting article where guest writer, Han-Gwon Lung explains the reasoning behind each of the six fears. I thought that this article is pretty on point.

Quick summary of his 6 fears:
1. Failure – Giving it all you have only to watch it fail
2. Inadequacy – Not believing that people would take you seriously
3. Humiliation – Being afraid that others would laugh at what you are doing
4. Poverty – Having a scarcity mindset
5. Separation – Worrying about losing what you already have
6. Success – Fearing that success and change would make you stand out

He ends his article with quoting Michael Jordan of all people to highlight the reasoning for his article. Read it and think about how true it is.

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
— Michael Jordan

So I can say without a doubt that getting into this online gig is more intimidating than difficult. After I put my big boy pants on, I wasn't nervous anymore. I am enjoying all the learning and interaction with others. Once you get over that fear, doors begin to open for you. And as the WA community has proven time and again, they are there for you too. When you have questions or seek guidance, they are there.