Ask Annie: What If I'm REALLY Afraid To Launch My Program?

Everyone is scared to launch their first program. Someone asked recently: what if I'm REALLY scared to launch my program. Like…what if there are powerful individuals and structures out there who might want to do me harm? What if putting myself out there associated with this work might actually be dangerous to me or my family? GREAT question. Let's agree NOT to give it the usual online marketing answer: "Just do the mindset work." This visibility stuff comes up for ALL of us. I have it. Everyone I've ever worked with has had work come up around their childhood, their upper limits, self esteem, or imposter syndrome. We all need and deserve to do some important work around getting visible, using our voices, and taking up space. AND…it's gaslighting to say it's the same for everyone. When you are deciding to get more visible and you've got a marginalized identity or you're sharing messages that oppose our power structures, your visibility work is not just about getting out of your own way. For example, if you're speaking out against anti-black racism or you're talking about fat liberation or trans liberation, you're being brave in a significant ADDITIONAL way. My niche is not as risky. I'm a business coach & strategist. Yes, I'm queer and I'm a woman. AND I have lots of privilege: having money, being white, being cis-gendered… and on and on. Even with all of that privilege, I absolutely need and deserve to have colleagues I can get really vulnerable with and feel through my own visibility and exposure fears. We all do. In terms of this question: "What should I do if I'm REALLY afraid to launch my program? Should I switch niches? Should I move forward?" I do not have the right answer for you. I don't think there is one. Here are a couple things I'm pretty sure I DO know so that you can figure out your path. ONE: Find people who really understand what you have at stake and can support you emotionally and spiritually. If you're part of a marginalized group and/or if your work is related to opposing a power structure, you cannot do this alone. What if those people who you need to go to for support as an entrepreneur are also afraid? That doesn't mean that they can't support you and that you can't support them. We need to give up on the idea that we must be totally through the woods before we can help others. It's just not true. We can actually have mutual support while we're figuring this stuff out. Asking for help might mean saying: "Please stay on the phone with me while I work through what to do in this scary moment." Or "Please sit on my couch while I press send on this email." TWO: Don't rush through your fear. Feel the feelings that are coming up, and let the fear speak. Don't rush it to go away. Fear isn't the only force making decisions, but you can listen to it and allow it to have a seat at the table. I've got a great example coming up on the podcast. Next time we'll be hearing from Dr. Damon Constantinides. He created a Trans Masc Sexual Pleasure group. That's brave. Trans folks are always under attack, and especially right now. Damon talks in the episode about his decisions about creating his program and making his work visible. Show notes at https://rebeltherapist.me/podcast/202