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Figure out how to do it right on your way there. #vatip 
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Hi and welcome to The Business of Being a Virtual Assistant. I’m your host, Tiffany Parson. Today, I want to talk about fears and that’s what are you afraid of?
This week, I was in one of the groups and it’s one of my business groups and so people share and give tips and advice and things like that. Someone was asking their question and, you know, sharing the reason why they asked this question is because they were afraid to do it wrong so they wanted to make sure they got it exactly right.
That triggered something in me and I thought, you know, gosh, have I ever been afraid to do something wrong? At the time, the day I read this comment, I was like, no, I can’t think of anything, you know, and I’m thinking in relation to my virtual assistant business. Come to find out, a few days later, something totally unrelated to my virtual assistant business and I was afraid of it, okay.
Here’s the thing, and this may be true for you too. The things that you are experienced in, you’ve done over and over and over, you’re comfortable, you know it, you’ve done it for a long time, maybe you’re not afraid of that.
But getting started in a virtual assistant business, taking on people you don’t know in exchange for your service is scary. You’re afraid of that.
I’ve been in it for ten years now, almost ten years, and it’s like second nature. But something that made me afraid was teaching or subbing for a yoga class. Now, I don’t teach yoga. I’m not certified in yoga. But I teach a class called Synergy and Synergy takes yoga and Pilates movements, basic movements, and does athletic training for your balance, mobility, strength, all that stuff, and the core.
I teach at the YMCA and the yoga instructor is out on vacation and needed a sub. Y’all, let me tell you I was afraid, and I think about why was I afraid? Because the other day when I saw that lady’s comment, I was like I’m not afraid. Hey, mess it up, get dirty, figure out, you know, how to do it right on your way there.
But this class tripped me up, and it had nothing to do with my ability, but everything to do with the response. This might be where you are. Has nothing to do with your ability, but you’re afraid of the response.
See, I wanted to make sure that they liked the class. Not necessarily liked me, but liked the Synergy class because that class is completely different from what they’re used to. It may be similar movements, but it’s a totally different class. It’s completely different. So I was afraid of the response. Like are they going to like it? Are they going to walk out?
Because I had heard horror stories, not at my Y, but at another Y where Synergy was introduced. It’s a new concept, a new class, and they were used to yoga and they got this and people walked out…walked out. I didn’t want that to happen to me, and I didn’t think people would walk out, but I felt like they would voice their dislike like during the class, and I didn’t know how I would respond to their response.
Is that where you are in relation to your virtual assistant business? You’re afraid of the response?
Here’s a little tip to help you. Do it afraid. Do it afraid. If you’re afraid of the response, do it afraid. That’s what I did. The instructor needed help. No one else could sub. Here’s the kicker, like I teach that class two hours after her yoga class, so I really had no excuse. Like I’m coming to the Y later. Her class is at 9:00. Mine is at 11:00. I’m coming [laughs].
So, oh, okay, so I agreed. I took it on. Challenge, right? I took it on afraid. I was sweating bullets. You hear me. Sweat was just dripping off of my face during the class. They probably just thought I was hot or whatever. I didn’t feel myself shaking nervous like that.
But I really wanted them to like the class. I didn’t do anything different to try to make them like the class because it is a good class. I don’t have to do anything to make them like it. But I didn’t want them to compare it to what they normally do.
Guess what, y’all? They loved the class. They loved it. They loved that they were able to do something different. They got their body moving. It was good. Class was not cancelled. They liked it and I’m subbing again on Friday. So do it afraid.
You might have somebody right now that knows what your ability is and they’re ready. They want to sign you on. They want you to be their virtual assistant. They want to give the project to you, but you’re hesitant. Maybe you’re like not ready. I’m new.
Do it afraid. Do it afraid. Do your best afraid. You can still do your best afraid.
Make sure it’s a project where you’re able to go at your pace, not super slow, not super fast, at a good pace. Guess what? It’s going to turn out better than you think. Why? Because we have a wild, crazy imagination and our imagination runs wild. Just like I was fearful of what the result was going to be for this class, you may be fearful about their response. What is their response going to be to the end result? Are they going to like it?
If they don’t like it, what happens? If they didn’t like my class, what happens? I didn’t create the class. I didn’t create the moves. I didn’t create the movement. I am the presenter and they have other options. They have other classes.
For you, if your client doesn’t like it, you can make it better.
If they see that you’ve put some words on the left and they want it centered or on the right, you can make it better. If you’ve done this wonderful spreadsheet but they want totals or this or that, you could take something off. You could add something.
You can make it better. But you won’t know until you just go afraid. I promise you, after you do it, you’re going to be excited and ready to do it again. Because I’m excited. I’m excited to see them on Friday. I cannot wait to do it again.
I hope this helped you. Share with me. Let me know can you relate to this and being afraid of something, and not necessarily afraid of doing it wrong, but afraid of the result? Maybe you are afraid of doing it wrong. Either way, you can always make it better.
I’d love to hear from you. You can come chat with me on my Facebook page. I am there every day. Just put your comments there. I will see it. Or if you’re watching this video on YouTube, comment below.
If you’re listening to the podcast through iTunes, Stitcher, or right on my website, then you have a way to comment. If you’re on the website, you can comment below. If you’re listening to it through the iTunes podcast app, then when you get a chance, send me a shout out on Twitter: @TiffanyDParson or Instagram: @TiffanyDParson. Either way is fine, but I’d love to hear from you. Let me know. Share your experience with me.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you and thank you for watching and listening. I can’t remember if I even told you what episode number this is. This is episode number 135. You have a wonderful and fabulous day.
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