FIRST THOUGHT: Motivated By Fear

Let’s face it: Most of the time, we don’t notice what people are up to. We’re pretty self-consumed, worrying about the chin pimple that popped up during last night’s slumber more than anything else. But I also think we’re perceptive to other people’s moods and demeanor, at least subconsciously. When Joann shows up to the office in a frenzy, chatting away a mile a minute, we don’t notice her outfit or her nails or her hairstyle; we notice how she’s feeling motivated by fear. Has there been a time when you’ve been Joann, pushing for that next project, marriage proposal, or perfect thing to make you feel better? How do you quiet that scared inner voice?

WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 1200

So many entrepreneurs I’ve spoken with find that fear is a good thing. After all, anxiety can give us a heck of a lot of energy when we’re working 12-hour days. It can also leave us moody and irritable and headed toward a major crash. But fear and anxiety can motivate us women to do big things: Research shows women in the United States start 1,200 new companies every single day. While you’re setting up your next biz, consider putting a stress sesh on your calendar. Create a game plan to tackle the daily tension so you aren’t left in a tizzy later down the road.

WOMAN TO WATCH: Geeta Nadkarni, Founder of Baby Got Booked

Today’s Woman to Watch, Geeta Nadkarni, started her own biz called Baby Got Booked following a couple of decades in journalism. Whether it was working at CNN or the Montreal Gazette, Geeta has used storytelling as a career. She got her first paid writing job before she was even a teenager, and she says the storytelling gene comes from her dad.

Baby Got Booked is an online course that offers up uncommon public relations approaches for small business owners. There’s no doubt that media coverage is crucial if you want your company or brand to succeed. Well, Geeta teaches you how to write a good pitch, speak in a way that provides media outlets with handy-dandy soundbites, and more.

Geeta’s business idea came from what she’s noticed over the course of her time as a journalist and now in her new venture at Baby Got Booked: that people need to market themselves better. Geeta has met people who say they’re “too young, too fat, too old,” too “whatever” to do that next big thing. Geeta suggests you quiet that little voice in your head that screams mean BS at you, and instead, engage in a constructive conversation internally.

It also helps to do your research and educate yourself. Take, for instance, Geeta’s tips to get a response from a journalist or the media. She says a pitch is a love letter—not a romance novel—so chop down the word count, my friends. Also, make sure to not misspell the recipient of the letter’s name (come on, people!) Whatever you do, stay positive instead of discouraged.

According to Geeta, also think about implementing the two events that successful leaders schedule every single day. The first? Meditate. She says her research has shown that almost every high achiever practices mindfulness, so get your OM on. The second tactic Geeta uses is to change the language she uses: Instead of saying, “Ugh, I’m coming down with something! FML,” she opts for a more positive approach, instead thinking: “I am fighting something.” A positive mindset can change everything.

QUITE THE QUOTE

I love this quote Geeta Nadkarni wrote in a piece for Inc. She said:

“Repeat after me, ‘The only way I will fail is if I freak out. I will not freak out.’”