The Fear Of Learning How To Sell

The Fear No One Talks About

After I had my stock for over two weeks in the room without selling a single item, without telling anybody that I have started a business of selling appliances and without the courage and attempt to go out to market uncertainty grew and I felt pressure building inside me.

But it wasn’t only internal.

I started thinking:

• What will people think if they know I failed?

It felt like selling on my own without representing any reputable brand, worst part on the street is failure. Because representing a brand gives one a sense of belonging. Personally I never took people who sell on the street into consideration, as I had an assumption that what they sell its either fake or stolen, but now the tables had turned.

• What if I have to explain this loss?

Even the idea of talking about it felt like standing exposed. Like being on a street where everyone could see my mistake. I could only mention it to those who provided safe space just to check how they feel about the idea of selling even though I was not fully honest about, obviously making it look more nicer. People had a mixture of feelings as others saw it as a brilliant opportunity and others were totally against the idea which made it very difficult for me. So instead of making a clear decision, I hid.

• What if I look like I don’t know what I’m doing?

Hiding felt safer than acting and I didn’t sell. Not because it was the right decision, but because I was afraid of what selling meant. Selling felt like a foreign island and in my head this is what I believed; admitting failure, accepting I was wrong and letting others see I didn’t have it figured out. So I stayed in the position longer than I should have while other participants were making a lot of money out there. That’s the thing when ego and fear get involved, decisions stop being rational and become personal.