What We Fear the Most

It’s not failure we fear most—it’s being seen failing.
That awkward first live video. The blog post with one lonely like. Or none at all. The course that launches to crickets. These moments can feel like public proof that we’re not “ready yet.” So we wait, because there's nothing worse than public embarrassment, right?

Wrong.

Some pretty famous peeps would say that there is something worse than failing: trying for perfection. Winston Churchill said that perfection is the enemy of progress, and the French writer Voltaire said that it's also the enemy of good. (It's also the enemy of "done", and we can't make progress - in ANYthing - without doing.)

Just yesterday, I was watching some of my early tutorial videos and I think I dozed off for a minute. When I woke up, I thought to myself, "Was I really that boring and uninspired?" Yeah, apparently I was. But you know what?

I published them and people watched them. OK, not many people watched those early efforts, but my point is, I had to start somewhere, and I did. Cringe-y, perhaps - improvement needed - for sure - but done.

So let's rip the bandage off and talk about it.

Fear Shows Up in Sneaky Ways

• Procrastination disguised as “research”

• Spending months on a logo instead of launching the actual offer

• Over-editing a social post until the window of relevance has passed

• Saying, “I’ll start after I take one more course…”

Sound familiar?

We’re scared of judgment, rejection, and uncertainty. But what we should fear most is the regret of never trying. Every thriving business you admire was once messy and unpolished.

All those professional-looking videos on Instagram, all those YouTube videos that have thousands of views? Those creators all started from the same. place. you're. in. right now. And you don't see what effort and messiness went into the finished product - you only see the finished product. The polished product that they want you to see, not the chaotic behind-the-scenes.

The Antidote to Fear: Imperfect Action

Stress and worry are higher before you act. Without action, you worry. Fear shrinks once you start and influence the outcome. - James Clear, author of Atomic Habits

OMG, that is so true. SO true. Perfection is a moving target. But momentum is where the magic starts to happen.

Here’s how to move forward—even when it’s scary:

• Set a deadline. Then ship it. Publish it. Launch it. Post it. You get the idea. Just DO the thing. You can improve and tweak as you go and even circle back and completely redo the thing, if you must. But you can't REdo until you DO.

• Shrink the step. Instead of focusing on launching the entire course, start with a single workshop. A 15-minute webinar. Record it so you can edit it if you really need to, but sooner rather than later, try a live one. Yeah, it's scary AF. But you know how you'll feel when it's done? EMPOWERED.

• Track progress, not perfection. Celebrate consistency and excellence - not perfection - over results. Deepak Chopra once said, "If you focus on success, you'll have stress. But if you pursue excellence, success will be guaranteed."

• Practice bravery. Every act of visibility builds resilience, empowerment, and confidence. Our brains love the feeling of accomplishment - so when you set a goal and follow through with it, your brain will say, "YES! That was fun - let's do that again!" That feeling is both physical and mental, and it will propel you towards your next goal.

Your Audience Needs You—Flaws and All

Someone out there needs what only you can offer. Not when you’re “more polished,” but now. With your voice, your story, and your imperfect brilliance.

So post that video. Send the email. Launch the beta.
Take the step—even if your voice shakes a little. We have ALL been there.

You’re not behind. You’re just beginning.

Check out my FREE guide: Course Creation Handbook. You'll get some great tips on yes, launching a course, but it's really about so much more - it's about facing and tackling your fears and getting your "Let's Do This Thing!" spirit on.

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