Facing the Fear

In 1952, Albert Ellis did something bold. To overcome his fear of rejection, he spent an afternoon asking 100 women for a date.

Most said no. Some didn’t even respond. But Ellis walked away with a surprising realization: rejection wasn’t as devastating as he had imagined.

As business owners, we all face fear—fear of failure, fear of the unknown. A friend recently asked me how I deal with the stress of running my business, and here’s what I told him: I face the fear head-on.

I’ve thought through the worst-case scenario—really imagined it. Losing clients. Tightening the budget. Sitting my family down and explaining, “I tried my best, but it didn’t work.”

It’s tough to think about, but here’s what I’ve learned: I’d still coach football. My family would still love me. And I’d still enjoy birria tacos once or twice a month.

Fear feels massive when it’s unexamined. But once you sit with it, you realize it’s not as bad as it seems. The hardest part is the unknown.

So, here’s the question I leave you with: What’s the worst-case scenario in your business? Have you ever really thought it through? Facing it might just be the key to freeing yourself from it.

Because at the end of the day, there’s always a game to play and tacos to enjoy.

For more exciting news of 2025 check out my new YouTube video on the the rise of newsletters: why you should start yours in 2025!