Your Brain Creates Fear When Growth Matters Most

I thought I knew what I was doing when I started my coaching business.

I had a plan. I felt excited. Everything seemed clear until I began taking action.

Then the fear hit.

Not the rational kind where you're actually in danger. The kind that makes you question everything when you're doing something important for the first time.

I felt scared because what I was attempting wasn't working as expected. There were missing pieces I didn't know I needed.

This is what I now call the terror barrier. And understanding it changed how I help people grow.

The Brain's Ancient Protection System

Your brain has an old protection mechanism that activates whenever you do something important that you've never done before.

When there's no previous recognition from similar experiences, your brain creates fear. This happens every time you enter unknown territory.

The feeling isn't a sign you're doing something wrong. It's proof you're growing.

Think about it. When you plan something new, everything feels exciting and possible. But the moment you start acting, doubt creeps in.

Can I really do this? Do I have what it takes? What about all these obstacles I can't see coming?

This internal questioning is natural. Your subconscious mind is trying to protect you from perceived threats.

Why Understanding Changes Everything

I work with clients who face this barrier regularly. The ones who push through share one thing in common.

They understand the process.

When you know that awkwardness and fear are temporary responses to growth, you can handle them differently. You stop interpreting these feelings as stop signs.

I had a client building a new business around coaching and counseling. He knew the old ways of doing things but needed to reach clients through modern channels like social media.

This was completely new territory for him.

During the transition, he asked himself all the familiar questions. Is this really going to be successful? Do I have the perseverance and skills to handle upcoming obstacles?

The key insight was that he had no idea how long the process would take. Sometimes growth requires staying invested longer than expected.

When his terror barrier hit, he felt nervous about the unknown timeline and uncertain outcomes. But because we had discussed what to expect, he could recognize these feelings as part of the process rather than reasons to quit.

The Journaling Technique That Reveals Hidden Barriers

I ask clients to journal throughout their growth journey. This simple practice reveals what's really slowing them down.

They track what's happening, what's not happening, and how they're responding to activities and challenges.

Are they procrastinating? Is there real technical stuff that needs solving? Or is internal resistance creating the delay?

Most often, we discover that the fear causing resistance is emotional rather than logical. When we examine these fears closely, they usually lack real substance.

The fear feels real because it's connected to unconscious ideas and beliefs, often learned in childhood. These create internal resistance that makes you avoid necessary actions or perform them incorrectly.

Bob Proctor's "stickman" model helps explain this. Our unconscious mind holds patterns that can sabotage our conscious goals.

But here's the thing. When we discuss and reason through these hidden obstacles, clients usually find new energy to move forward.

Breaking Through Sales Limitations

I once worked with a salesperson who believed there was an upper limit to what he could achieve.

This belief was common in his company. Everyone expected five to ten percent annual growth, but nothing beyond that seemed possible.

The limitation wasn't real. It was a shared assumption that became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Sales teams often copy each other. If the best performer hits a certain level, others assume that's the ceiling. Going beyond seems impossible.

But what if you asked for the entire business instead of just a portion? What if you gave customers incentives to work exclusively with you rather than involving competitors?

This requires courage. You have to sit with CEOs and important decision-makers without being scared to ask for what you want.

Remember, these executives are ordinary people too. You don't need to be intimidated by titles or corner offices.

The secret to reducing fear in these situations is preparation. Learn everything about the company you're approaching.

Read their financial statements. Look at where they spend money. Sometimes you'll find discrepancies between their stated strategy and actual spending patterns.

When you ask insightful questions based on this research, they realize you understand their business. This knowledge gives you confidence and earns their respect.

Most salespeople just talk about their products. But when you demonstrate a deep understanding of their challenges and opportunities, you become a valuable partner rather than another vendor.

The Faster Path Through Fear

Here's what I tell clients about moving through the terror barrier faster.

First, anticipate it. Know that when you start something important and unfamiliar, you'll feel awkward and uneasy. This is normal.

Second, remember it's temporary. The more effort you put in, the sooner you'll pass through to the other side.

Third, hit it head on. There's no way to postpone or delay your way around growth. You have to do everything needed to move forward.

Fourth, understand you can't know everything beforehand. When you enter uncharted territory, you must be flexible and adapt as you learn.

Fifth, build support systems. Have people around you who understand the process and can help when things get difficult.

The growth journey teaches you as you go. You'll encounter obstacles you didn't anticipate, but you'll also develop capabilities you didn't know you had.

Your New Normal Awaits

After you pass through the terror barrier, something remarkable happens. The stress and unease dissipate over time.

You reach a new normal where what once seemed impossible now feels natural.

My client who wanted to become one of the best salespeople in his company eventually hit his higher targets. The learning experience showed him that everyone can do this.

He wasn't unique. He just had the courage to push through his fear with proper support.

The terror barrier isn't your enemy. It's your growth signal.

When you feel that familiar fear rising as you attempt something important and new, remember what's really happening. Your brain is doing its job, trying to protect you from the unknown.

But you have a choice. You can let that protection mechanism keep you small, or you can use your understanding to push through to the growth waiting on the other side.

The barrier is temporary. Your new capabilities will last forever.