A Simple Observation About Growth and Fear That Changed My Perspective

Fear, that familiar knot in your stomach

It was the second year of running Elephant Advisory, and I remember feeling that familiar knot in my stomach. I was sitting in my small office, staring at my email inbox, avoiding a decision that seemed far too daunting for someone with only two years of experience under their belt. The question was simple: Should I hire another person? The idea of taking on that kind of responsibility, of being accountable for someone else's livelihood, felt overwhelming. Would I be able to pay them consistently? Would they trust me enough to join my young business? What if it all fell apart? These questions bounced around in my mind, creating a wall of fear that seemed impossible to climb.

As I look back now, I realise how many moments like this I've faced over the past eight years. Moments where fear was the loudest voice in the room. From launching a new service that no one else was offering to opening up our first offshore team, every significant step forward was marked by that familiar, uncomfortable feeling. But back then, I was convinced that fear was a signal to step back. I believed it was there to protect me from failure. What I didn't see was that it was also keeping me from growing.

Fear, also your greatest teacher

It took me a while to realise that fear, in many ways, was my greatest teacher. The fear of hiring someone new wasn’t just about the money; it was about stepping into a role that was new to me – a leader responsible for someone else's professional growth. I decided to face that fear, and with a lot of hesitation, I took the plunge a few times (sometimes employees, sometimes partners). And guess what? The business didn’t crumble; in fact, it began to flourish through iterative failures that hurt less and less. I saw firsthand that every time I moved past my fear, a new opportunity for growth appeared. I began to see fear less as a barrier and more as a signpost – one that indicated I was on the verge of something new and potentially great.

It’s natural to fear the unknown, to shy away from discomfort. It’s a survival instinct. But as an entrepreneur, this fear often presents itself right before you're about to take your next big step. I realised that if I let fear dictate my actions, I’d never move forward.?

This great quote I say over and over in my head now.

The growth you seek is in the thing you avoid the most (I think it was Alex Hormozi):

• Want to grow but are avoiding hiring - go hire
• Want to loose weight but are avoiding dieting - go diet
• Want to put yourself out there but avoid social media - get on it

Don’t avoid, just do - fear will be there all the time in some way shape or form.