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Front the fear

Your first meeting with a client can set the stage for the entire consulting project.  The first week selling a new product usually determines whether a customer will ever make a purchase.   The first few minutes after meeting that special someone can make all the difference in the end.  But not because you put on a show and impressed a few people.  But because you did the hard stuff first.

Problem is, most people do just the opposte.  They don’t want to discuss things like price and timing with their client.  They avoid the hardest decisions on hoping it will all work out in the end. They hide the possible dealbreakers from the new girl, hoping the topic never comes up.  And they go work at a big consulting firm or bank out of school rather than just becoming an entrepreneur.

But really, you are more likely to waste their time if you wait and bring it up at the last minute.  Because the cost to change gets higher. And your ability and willingness to bring up the topic gets harder and harder.

That’s what fronting the fear is about.  You learn how to front load the stuff that you don’t want to do so you can get past it early.

So if your life goal is to be an entrepreneur, the hardest part of the journey isn’t getting a job at McKinsey or working at a top 20 law firm.  The hardest part is watching your classmates make six figure salaries while you live paycheck to paycheck.  That’s why you have to front the fear. If you become an entrepreneur first, then everyday after gets easier and easier.  You get more and more clients. And eventually you see a path to stability.

On the other hand if you do the easy stuff first–if you deal with the errands and clear the table rather than just doing it now–then 5 years later, your salary is a lot harder to give up.  You’ve taken on more costs than ever before.  And now, more and more people are watching and expect it to work.  Under this scenario, odds are, you won’t be turning into an entrepreneur any time soon.

So, if you have a new project, new career or new job in mind,  try doing the hard stuff first. Stuff that’s scary. Things that might not work. Stuff that embarrasses you.  Because even if it does not work, at least you’ll know. And if it does work, then path to get there will be a whole lot faster.

Easier said than done. But worth a shot.

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