by: Diane Hughes

I was floored! I couldn’t believe what they were saying! But
there they sat -- three of the biggest film stars of our age
-- telling the world they had issues with confidence. I was
watching an interview where Merle Streep, Nicole Kidman and
Julianne Moore were talking with Oprah Winfrey. Their
conversation gave me a lot to think about in regard to small
business success.

It started with Merle making a comment about a movie she’d
starred in. Her joke was about the fact that she actually quit
the movie before it began filming and then ended up following
through with her commitment after all. At this point, Nicole
and Julianne chimed in. "I do the same thing!" was the cry.
As I watched these three huge film stars go back and forth with
their issues of insecurity, it dawned on me that I had something
in common with these movie icons.


As a small business owner, I constantly question myself. I
wonder if I have the imagination, the talent, the skills, or
the drive to make it online. Yes, I’m earning a full-time living
on the Web. I’ve done so for quite some time now. But that fact
seems to play a tiny part in the establishment of my self-esteem.

Like most small business owners, and apparently at least three
giant film stars, there is a constant struggle with what we
*think* we can do, and what we can actually achieve. Self-doubt
creeps in and - if we let it take hold - we want to quit.
We question our abilities and even our successes. It has the
potential to be devastating.

There is something else I learned from this interview, however.
While all three of these ladies had gone so far as to call their
agents and tell them they weren’t making the movies they were
contracted for, they still did them. Even with high levels of
insecurity, they got themselves together and marched onward.

What was the end result? Most of the time, a box-office hit and
millions of dollars! Yes, there have been a few "failures" for
each of them. However, generally speaking, each time they made
an effort something wonderful happened.

There are three things I don’t think I’ll ever forget about that
interview.

One
Everybody - even the "rich and famous" - doubts himself
or herself from time to time. Small business owners are
no different. Wearing all the different "hats" of a small
business owner creates the perfect environment for insecurity
to creep in. It’s something you will likely not completely
rid your life from, but it IS something you can overcome.

Two
If the risk is a calculated and reasonable one - suck it up
and move onward toward your goal. Take into consideration the
"logical" aspects of success. Is the risk you’re about to take
(expanding your services, taking on a new client, launching a
new product) one that stands a good chance of success? Weigh
your options. If you decide the risk is worth taking, then
don’t let fear stand in your way.

Three
Oprah actually does have some good shows from time to time! :o)


So many small business owners quit before ever "making it."
That’s a shame. They let their doubts and fears take over, and
it drives their dreams right out of the picture. If you love
something - if you truly want to do a particular thing and earn
an income from it - don’t let anyone (including yourself) tell
you that it can’t be done. I think Merle, Nicole and Julianne
would agree!


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Diane Hughes is an accomplished internet entrepreneur and
editor of the popular ProBizTips Newsletter. Subscribe to
her newsletter for more tips, tricks, and secrets of the
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