In a recent episode of the Live Full Work Fun podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Shannon Mattern, founder of the Web Designer Academy and host of the Profitable Web Designer podcast. Our conversation centered around around a powerful theme: overcoming fear, self-doubt, and hesitation that’s stopping us from personal and professional growth.
The Power of Reframing “Worst Case Scenarios”
One of the most compelling moments in our conversation came when Shannon shared a personal story from the beginning of the pandemic. She and her husband were about to embark on building a new house – they had signed the contract for the land and found their builder. Then, on the very day everything shut down due to COVID-19, they had their meeting with their finance team.
Like many entrepreneurs facing uncertainty, Shannon’s mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario: losing everything.
However, what happened next perfectly illustrates the power of perspective shifting. When sharing her fears with her best friend, her friend asked a simple but profound question: “What’s the worst that happens? You lose everything? You come move in with me.”
This moment was pivotal for Shannon. As she shared with a laugh during our conversation, her immediate reaction was, “That sounds amazing, actually!”
This simple reframe completely changed her perspective on risk and failure.
A Framework for Managing Fear
Through her experience, Shannon developed a practical framework for managing fear and uncertainty, which she now applies to both business and personal decisions. She shared these key questions to ask yourself when facing fear:
- What is actually true here?
- What truly is the worst case scenario?
- What series of events would need to happen to reach that worst case?
- What is the actual likelihood of all those events occurring?
As Shannon pointed out during our discussion, when you actually map out what would need to happen for your worst fears to materialize, you often realize the probability is incredibly small. This realization can be incredibly freeing.
Shifting from “What If It Goes Wrong?” to “What If It Goes Right?”
Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from our conversation was Shannon’s approach to reframing negative thoughts.
Instead of dwelling on potential failures, she suggests asking yourself: “What if it went right? What if it actually got me what I wanted?”
This shift in thinking doesn’t eliminate risk or guarantee success, but it opens up possibilities rather than shutting them down. As Shannon emphasized, she’s willing to face the worst-case scenario “every single time” because she’s clear about what she wants and what she’s willing to risk to get there.
Moving Forward Despite Fear
What makes Shannon’s approach so valuable is its practicality. She’s not suggesting we ignore potential risks or never feel fear.
Instead, she advocates for a balanced approach that acknowledges both the risks and opportunities while maintaining perspective on what truly constitutes a “worst-case scenario.”
The key is not to eliminate fear or risk, but to assess them realistically and make informed decisions based on facts rather than fear-based assumptions.
Sometimes, what it takes is that one small step to set you on the path to success.
Shannon’s story offers valuable lessons about overcoming our internal obstacles and reframing our fears. Want to hear more insights from our conversation? Listen to the full episode in the player below.
Additional Resources:
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