A common fear that we see in business owners that we work with is fear of contacting new people.
Those new people can be potential clients or referral sources.
This fear is usually referred to as fear of rejection. Another way to look at it is that this fear is about not being good enough. You're afraid that the person you're trying to contact will judge you unfavourably. And worst of all - that you will actually accept this negative judgement of yourself.
How can you avoid having this fear? After all, people who don't know you are certain to form some kind of judgement about you, and it might not always be a good one. At least not yet, since they still don't really know you.
One way that works for some of our clients is for you to accept yourself.
If you truly accept yourself as you are, including your weaknesses, fears and areas of limited skill and knowledge, then you also realize that you don't need to be someone else.
That "someone else" is someone who is almost perfect, doesn't have any fears and weaknesses, and has perfect skills and knowledge. That someone doesn't exist.
By accepting yourself as you are, you give yourself permission to be yourself.
Now it doesn't matter any more how another person might judge you. You already are comfortable with yourself, so another person's opinion shouldn't bother you.
Before your next cold call or follow up call, take a few minutes to accept yourself as you are.
It should work.