One of the biggest things that gets in the way of people who aspire to make online income is the fear of telling or showing the people that they know.
Whether it’s friends, family, or coworkers, this can hold them back from their online dreams indefinitely.
Oftentimes, someone makes the decision internally to make money online, but out of fear of how this decision will be perceived socially, they never end up actually making the shift and stay stuck in their current situation.
Today, we’ll look into why this happens, what the consequences are, and how to get over it and get started today.
What causes social fear?
One helpful way to get over this fear is to look at why it starts in the first place. Fear is a protective mechanism that in the early days of humanity kept us safe. Danger was more frequent in these times, so fearful people actually survived better. Fear in the social realm mattered greatly because if we were rejected here, we would not be able to access food or resources.
On the contrary, in the present, we live in an incredibly safe society. We have more access to methods of sustaining ourselves, and we have more access to different social circles and living environments. We also have the ability to make money in diverse ways including online.
The issue then is that we are running old mental software in present times where much of the signals are irrelevant. However, it’s still important to have a healthy social life today. So, with friends and family, we want their approval, and if we think they might not like the idea of us earning online income, we become afraid of how they might react to this idea.
It’s true that even today, many social circles might dismiss or even reject the idea of earning money online. However, much of these consequences of fear as a result of breaking the norm are imagined and theoretical.
The biggest consequence is actually more likely living in this fear and not acting.
The consequences of living in such fear
Being directed by social fear might seem to be harmless, since as a result it keeps us accepted in our immediate social circles.
However, the consequences are many and can be especially bad because we often ignore them or are even completely unaware of them until we wait too long and reach a personal breaking point.
Each of us were born with a dream, something we would like to be doing that we’re not yet. A dream that doesn’t align with the social beliefs of your environment means that if you’re socially fearful, you will delay this dream, sometimes indefinitely.
While this keeps you in the loop socially, over time, you will lose respect for yourself because you will know you’re not doing what you truly want. We can’t ignore our needs. Doing so causes dissatisfaction, which ironically ends up affecting your social relationships just as badly or even worse if you mention opinions or pursue ideas that aren’t socially accepted.
The strangest thing about this situation, which also shows how powerful fear can be, is that a dream like making money online is something that is totally harmless and can often be encouraged, even if people receive this dream skeptically in the beginning.
Getting over the fear
Ridding yourself of social fear is simple, but it can also seem like a huge goal. The key is to start small. Even if you’re starting at zero, you can take small steps. Make a freelance portfolio. Draft an online business plan. Learn to write your first line of code.
Take small steps with introducing these ideas to your friends and family too. Don’t speak theoretically, mention steps you’re already taking.
For example, don’t say: “I’m thinking of starting a website…”, say “I registered a domain name and I’m learning to use Wordpress to design my website”.
This makes both you and whoever is hearing you take you more seriously, which can ward off negativity.
If there are in fact negative reactions, don’t take it personally. You can even use these opinions as fuel to succeed. Gain confidence in yourself, in your plans, and get to the point that no matter what someone says, you will continue in your pursuits.
Lastly, you need to realize that you can just do things and people might not even react as negatively as you might think. Persist, collect evidence along the way, and remember that you can always find like-minded people. Open yourself to the possibility of finding new friends or peers that aspire to or are currently making money online.
Anything can be possible if you can make a solid plan and get over the fears that are in our way, especially these social fears that hold us back. And remember that taking a step, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction of your dream life.
