**First, let me apologize for the delay in posting this. My younger brother got married this weekend, and the onslaught of family from all over the country got the best of my time. The rest of the series will be posted on Fridays, rain, sleet, snow, or out of town visitors ;) Now, on with it...

"I have not failed. I've just found a 10,000 ways that won't work."

- Thomas Edison

Some people get a thrill from new experiences; new challenges, and the prospect of the unknown have an invigorating affect on them and inspire action. For some others, however, the prospect of "new" is one of fright and anxiety, something to be avoided at all costs and with all effort.

Why? Why are most people so afraid to try something new? There are many possible reasons which, in part, probably depend on the person's past experiences, influences, and innate personality. I'll make the argument that most people are reluctant to try something new because they are afraid that they could fail. Notice I didn't say that they were afraid that they would fail, just that they could fail. The mere fact that there is a possibility of failure often deters people from even trying. What a tragedy!

In a recent post by marketing expert, Seth Godin, he proposes:

"The object isn’t to be perfect. The goal isn’t to hold back until you’ve created something beyond reproach. I believe the opposite is true. Our birthright is to fail and to fail often, but to fail in search of something bigger than we can imagine. To do anything else is to waste it all."

So I propose this:

Don't let the fear of failure keep you from trying something new. 
Instead, expect that every now and then you will, as Edison puts it, "find ways that don't work". When you experience those "bumps", reflect upon them, learn from them, and use them build confidence and do things better the next time.

Is there something you've been wanting to try in your real estate marketing campaign, but have been holding back because you weren't sure if it would work? Try it! Don't let the fear of failure, or the fear of others perception of you, or the fear of anything hold you back!

The next post in this series will be called, "The Power of Providing People with What They Need", is inspired by the second of my favorite Edison quotes, and will be posted this Friday.

I'll leave you with this video of the song "Dream Big", by Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband:

I work in marketing and communications for ClassifiedFlyerAds.com, focusing on tools and internet technology for real estate professionals. Our most popular tools offer competitive search engine placement and online listing distribution to over 30 real estate directories. We also offer blog profile syndication, widgets, and virtual tours - free to all subscribed members.