At every training class of new Growth Coach franchisees, I get the privilege and pleasure of talking to them on day one...as they begin their exciting and fulfilling journey into business ownership.  At The Growth Coach, we attract very passionate, talented and committed business professionals who want to become business coaches and make a difference in their communities.  As such, I'm very proud of them as owners and I'm very excited about the countless number of small business owners they will help as business coaches. 

When I address these new business owners and business coaches, I never have a canned talk and simply answer their questions and discuss what is on my mind and heart for them.  Typically, however, I do stress that they have to think and act like owners, marketers, and business coaches, and in that order.  We don't want them thinking and acting like technicians and we'll help them transform, if necessary, during our training week and through our on-going support and coaching. 

Furthermore, I usually stress that they will have to become effective in three categories: self management (vision, goals, focus, priority management, personal responsibility, etc.), marketing management (executing our proven marketing system), and emotional management (confronting and overcoming any fears, uncertainties and doubts...FUDs).  Of the three, clearing their heads of any negative baggage, FUDs, limiting beliefs, etc. is the most critical.  Luckily, they will have our superb Training & Operations Team (success coaches) and other franchise owners to help support their growth, success, and slay any mental dragons...which we ALL have.

This last training session, I challenged them all during the upcoming 5 days to reveal their dirty little secrets related to being a business owner.  That's right, put any of their FUDs (fears, uncertainties, and doubts) about being a business owner on the table in front of their peers and our highly effective Training & Operations Team.  I encouraged them to be brutally honest and let this week be an incredible journey of self discovery and self improvement.  As usual, they all answered the challenge and had a powerful week of learning, growing, and self improvement.

You see, I don't care if someone is a new business owner or an established business owner, they ALL have FUDs.  And if not properly acknowledged and corrected, these FUDs can sabotage their success...preventing them from doing what they know they should do when they should do it.  Therefore, it's not a matter of IF you have these limiting beliefs and fears, it's a matter of do you know about them (awareness) and what are you willing to do about them (response). 

In the end, I believe the only thing that can hold a business owner back is themselves...specifically their FUDs, limiting beliefs, negative mindsets, and negative self talk.  If these negative emotions are not properly acknowledged, examined, confronted and neutralized (emotional management), they will prevent owners from realizing their dreams and goals.  Put simply, it's our DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS that hold us back.  Secrets we don't want to admit to ourselves or others.  Secrets we are ashamed of.  Secrets we ignore and deny.  Secrets that sabotage our success. 

Have no mistake, failing to face your secrets head on will hold you back from higher levels of success.  Why?  If not addressed, these secrets will fester, grow in intensity, and become destructive mental demons.   Also, your fears, doubts, discomfort zone, and limiting beliefs will prevent you from doing the right things at the right time to get the right results.  For example, you may feel uncomfortable or fearful about certain elements of leading, marketing, selling, coaching, planning, promoting, public speaking, holding others accountable, etc. and as a result, will not do what you know you should do.  For example, your fear of rejection may prevent you from asking prospects for their business.  If not confronted, that fear will hold you back big time!   

In my 15-plus years of business coaching, there's not been a single owner I've met that does not have dirty little secrets.  Sadly, nearly all of these owners kept these secrets bottled up inside at a huge cost for many, many years before they came to our business coaching programs.  During our initial Strategic Mindset Group Coaching Session, business owners achieve tremendous relief when they discover that all owners struggle with mental demons and FUDs while running their businesses.  Immediately, these owners no longer feel strange, odd, isolated, alone, afraid, or different.  They realize they are very normal with normal challenges and fears that can be overcome.  

Therefore, please face reality and confront your dirty little secrets today.  You will feel much better and become much more effective as an owner.  What are your sabotaging secrets? What could be holding you back?  Please be brutally honest:

- What are some of your fears, uncertainties and doubts?
- Do you have a fear of failure, rejection, and/or success?
- Do you ever feel like an impostor?
- Do you ever feel overworked and overwhelmed?
- Do you feel trapped in and by your business?
- Do you feel alone and isolated?
- Do you ever question your worthiness to be an owner?
- Do you ever feel guilty about the financial success you have achieved?
- Do you ever feel the weight of the world on your shoulders?
- Are you afraid or doubtful about the economy?
- At times, have you felt like running away from your business?
- Are you working too many hours each week?
- Are you neglecting your spouse, family, and friends?
- Do you have the business owner blues?
- Do you worry too much?
- Are you a workaholic? Struggle with other addictions?

Now is the time to admit to, face up to, and own your dirty little secrets.  Just by acknowledging them, you are drawing out the poison. To get additional help, click here to locate a business coach nearest you.  Your business coach will help you overcome your fears, doubts, and limiting beliefs.  Let your secrets out and let the healing begin.

Daniel M. Murphy
President, Founder & Business Coach
The Growth Coach
Business Coaching Franchise System