What Is Your Greatest Fear?

Recently I was asked by one of my mentors and coach to express in a short paragraph (2 sentences or less) what keeps my target market awake at nights, what are their desires that they won’t even tell their closest friend or spouse. Is that a daunting assignment or what? It is to me.

Then tonight, when I couldn’t sleep, it came to me.

A little bit of explanation.

I have been a member of toastmasters for a number of years. It’s something I love and stay active in because of all that I learn and experience and the friends I have maintained over the years.

I recently volunteered to head up a telephone conference committee for my District. (I won’t explain what a district is except to say that it is a specific geographic area). I am excited about this new assignment because it gives me the opportunity to pass along ideas that I’m excited about and to learn by doing.  I know that through my fellow toastmasters, I will get guidance and instructions.

I don’t have to pay for this knowledge that others pass on to me, unless I count the low yearly fee I pay to be a toastmaster which comes with many other benefits; I get mentors to help me do my job;  I get ideas and guidance and I get to help other people learn an important skill. I will get feedback from my fellow toastmasters who are more experienced in doing this than I, and I will learn how to be a teacher. Where else could I get this kind of training in this kind of atmosphere? For such a nominal fee?

But will I do a good job?

So what do I think keeps my target market awake at nights and something they don’t tell their closest friend, or even their spouse?

They are excited about their new ideas and they can’t wait to try them out, but they are afraid they won’t be successful, or won’t do a good enough job.

They want to help others, they want others to understand the essence of the information they are giving them. They are so excited about this that they can’t sleep, they can’t wait to get started.

And deep down there is the fear that they won’t succeed. That some way they won’t get their true or full meaning to others who can benefit from it.

That is the fear I face tonight as I lay in bed unable to sleep. I’ve made a commitment.  I have a lot of ideas and I want to do a good job. I want to be able to pass along information to my fellow toastmasters that will benefit them and their clubs, but can I do it? Can I fulfill the confidence that my District, my fellow leaders and others have placed in me.

As a business person, you might face the fear of fulfilling the faith and confidence that your family has in you.

I’m facing my fear.

As you will be learning soon, I have launched a new membership site and one of the things I have promised my new members is to hold regular teleseminars where I will  interview guests twice a month.

Doing a good job of interviewing my guests and bringing out the essence of what they have to offer to my members is a fear I have–and I am facing it. It may keep me awake some nights, but I will do it and you, the members of my membership, whoever you turn out to be, will benefit from my efforts, and part of the skills I will learn in how to do this is through my toastmaster’s affiliation.

I think I can truly say to my mentor/coach that the fear that keeps most of my target market awake at night are the exciting ideas they have that they want to give to their market, and will they be successful.

Your comments, please.  Do you agree with this?  What are your biggest fears that keep you awake at night?