Story of the Week
Here's something most people don't understand about starting anything new: Your brain is running on ancient survival software that treats launching a business the same way it would treat encountering a saber-toothed tiger.
Back when our ancestors lived in caves, trying something new could literally get you killed. Wandering into unfamiliar territory might mean encountering a predator. Challenging the status quo could get you kicked out of your tribe, which was a death sentence.
So our brains evolved a simple survival strategy: When in doubt, don't.
This is why starting feels so hard.
The Three Psychological Barriers to Starting
Understanding why your brain resists starting is the first step to overcoming it. Here are the three main psychological barriers at work:
1. Loss Aversion: Psychologist Daniel Kahneman discovered that humans feel the pain of losing something twice as intensely as the pleasure of gaining something of equal value. When you think about starting something new, your brain immediately focuses on what you might lose (time, money, reputation, security).
This is why "What if I fail?" feels so much more real than "What if I succeed?"
2. The Paradox of Choice: Psychologist Barry Schwartz found that having too many options can actually paralyze us rather than empower us. When you're starting something new, there are infinite possibilities for how to begin, what to focus on, and which direction to take.
Overwhelmed by options, your brain chooses the safest one: Doing nothing.
3. Imposter Syndrome: This is your brain's way of keeping you in your lane. It whispers things like, "Who are you to start a business?" or, "You don't know enough yet," or, "There are already people doing this better than you."
These thoughts might feel like rational self-assessment, but they're actually your ancient survival system trying to keep you from standing out (and potentially getting kicked out of the tribe).
The "Start Scared" Strategy
Instead of waiting for courage to magically appear, try this approach:
1. Acknowledge the Fear: Don't try to eliminate fear — that's impossible and counterproductive. Instead, recognize it as your brain doing its job. Say to yourself: "I notice I'm feeling scared about starting this. That's normal and expected."
2. Reframe the Risk: Ask yourself, "What's the real worst-case scenario here?" Usually, it's much less catastrophic than your brain makes it seem. Then ask: "What's the worst-case scenario of NOT starting?"
3. Take the Smallest Possible Step: What's the tiniest action you could take right now to move forward? Not the optimal action, not the perfect action — just the smallest one. Your brain can handle small.
4. Build Momentum Through Repetition: Each small action you take rewires your brain slightly. Success breeds success because your brain starts to associate "starting" with "surviving" rather than "danger."
Your Starting Challenge
This week, I want you to identify one thing you've been wanting to start but haven't. Then:
1. Name the fear: What specifically is your brain worried about?
2. Shrink the action: What's the smallest possible first step you can take?
3. Set an implementation intention: When and where will you take this step?
4. Tell someone: Share your intention with one person who will check in on you.
Remember, your brain's resistance isn't a bug — it's a feature. It kept your ancestors alive. But in today's world, the biggest risk isn't starting something new — it's never starting at all.
You’ve got this. Here's to outsmarting your own brain!