If fear is stopping you from doing your first LinkedIn post, then this episode is for you. Let's discuss what typically holds people back, and more importantly, my secret to flipping the switch and getting started.

Key moments in this episode - 

00:00 Overcoming LinkedIn Posting Anxiety

01:17 The Power of Mindset in LinkedIn Success

02:39 Common Fears Holding You Back

07:57 Shifting Focus to Overcome Fear

10:33 Making Your First LinkedIn Post

11:54 Michelle's Journey

13:36 Final Thoughts

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE J RAYMOND

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• https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/
• B2B Growth Co newsletter

Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days. 

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If you aren't posting or active on LinkedIn because you're worried

about what other people will think that my friends changes today

Everyone.

It's Coach Michelle J Raymond, your trusted guide for building your

brand and your business on LinkedIn.

And my friends, we are going to be talking about something that is super

important to me, far more important than any LinkedIn algorithm hacks that

people offer, better than any services and software and tech and all of the

stuff that you listen to on LinkedIn about what the secret to success is.

It's all rubbish.

Even investing in training doesn't work unless you fix this one thing.

And I've been training clients for five years now, and it is guaranteed

to be the thing that is common amongst every single person that

I've ever trained without exception.

How do I know this?

Because I am not an exception to this either.

And what are we talking about?

Mindset, the worry and fear that comes about when people sit in front of their

computer or phones and log into LinkedIn.

And think I'm gonna do a post today.

And then their mind just takes over and races into places that none of

us ever want to go and you get stuck and you get paralysed by those fears.

If you are somebody that can relate to that, then this

episode is totally for you.

It's gonna be short, it's gonna be impactful, and most of all, by the

end of it, I want you to be able to.

Get off the sidelines, get into the game, and start sharing your voice because

there is somebody out there that is missing out on your brilliance because

you are stuck in overthinking mode.

And if you can relate, absolutely no judgment.

I have been there.

I still go there.

I mean, can you believe it?

I've been creating content on LinkedIn for 10 years now.

Five years as a business owner teaching other people to do it.

And sometimes my brain gets into funky places, so I get it.

But I'm gonna give you my secret tip on how you can flip that switch in a

heartbeat and get things back on track.

And for some of you, it might be because you've stopped posting for others,

you've never even done your first post.

How cool would it be to actually break that and get out there and get active?

So we're gonna go into what are the fears that are stopping you?

My secret to flipping that switch right after this short word about

our podcast sponsors Metricool.

Listeners, when I'm working with clients, and even when we wrote The LinkedIn

Branding book, there were around 28 common fears that were going through in

the conversations that Michelle Griffin and I were having with our clients.

And they were all different shapes and sizes.

They were people starting out.

They were experienced people, they were consultants, they were

running multinational corporations and everywhere in between.

Didn't matter what age, size, or what part of the world you come from.

These fears were getting in the way.

And I've come to know that if you don't talk about these fears and acknowledge

them, then you can't move on and actually take the actions on LinkedIn.

This shows up in, lots of the online research that gets quoted that

nine outta 10 people are not ever going to be active on LinkedIn.

So that leaves 1% of people that are actively creating and doing other

activities on LinkedIn, like commenting or sending direct messages or connecting,

that's a really small percentage of the over 1 billion people on the platform.

Now what are these types of fears that we're talking about?

In my experience working with clients and, you know, observing what happens online,

there are three main groups of fears.

The fear of judgment comes up and that can look like what

if other people don't like it?

What if it's all been said before?

What if I'm not the smartest?

What if I get it wrong?

Like brain thoughts that go down that cycle.

So fear of judgement is probably the main groups of fears that come up.

You know, it happens for all kinds of reasons.

Remember, your brain's job is to keep you feeling safe.

We also have the fear of silence.

What if you do a post and afterwards there's crickets?

Yep.

That pause was intentional.

What did your brain think when you do a post and you worry that no one's

gonna like or comment or show up?

Now if you think about what I just shared, nine outta 10

people are not going to do it.

They're going to log on, take a look around, and then move on.

Which shows you how you can stand out so easily on LinkedIn if you're supporting

other people, but that silence then leads into, I think the third group

of fears, which is my main form of fear, which is that fear that comes

out of comparison to other people.

When I first started out as a LinkedIn trainer, this was something that

absolutely stopped me in my tracks, and it was debilitating because I

would look around at other people who had been LinkedIn trainers

or doing something similar to me for a much longer period of time.

I would compare myself to them and I love being the best at everything.

Like my inner childhood athletic star and sports star still

reminisces about standing on podiums and getting first place and

gold medals and breaking records.

So when I feel like I'm not coming first in the race.

My brain says, Michelle, get out of the race.

And I don't know if anyone that's listening to this can relate, but

for me that comparisonitis is real.

And I'm so grateful that once upon a time, I was scrolling LinkedIn back in

the early days and I saw a post that someone did that said, don't compare

your day one to somebody else's day 100.

And I was like, oh my God, that's what I've been doing.

And it's so unfair of me to do that to myself.

So if you can relate to this and shout out to any of my perfectionist

listeners that are out there, you guys have this one nailed.

Typically it is sitting back waiting till everything's perfect

before you take that action.

And so if you can relate to this, it's time for you guys to get off the sideline.

Like I said, there are people out there that need you, so if you are stuck in

this overthinking mode and can't take that action after this really quick

break, I am going to share exactly my method for getting myself out of this

funk and taking action in a heartbeat.

Sound good?

Let's go.

You are gonna be so surprised at how quick and easy this fix is from getting

stuck to actually taking action.

So it doesn't matter what fear you have or what flavour of fear that

pops up for you, and it could be multiple, it could be different, it

could be for all kinds of reasons, but here's how I fix it in a heartbeat.

You literally have to shift your focus.

Right now when you're in that fear mindset, you are

just thinking about yourself.

There really is no way out of getting off that hamster wheel

because your brain, like I said, is there to try and protect you.

So what I ask you to do is shift your focus.

Why do you do what you do?

What's it like for the people that you work with, when after you finish working

with them, the before and the after shot.

Picture that.

What transformation do you offer when people work with you?

Why is it that your work lights you up when you see that transformation?

Because right now when you're stuck in your own head and not sharing your

amazing skills with the rest of the world.

They're missing out on that transformation, and that's

exactly what you signed up to do when you started your business.

And I don't care what kind of business it is, maybe you're a consultant, maybe

a part of a business and a bigger team, but if you can't take these actions,

typically you are more worried about what may or may not happen to yourself,

then focusing on all the positive and good that would come out of helping

those people on the other side.

And for me, when I get out of worrying about Michelle J Raymond, what I think

or perceive in my mind as not being good enough and get into actually when

I have more conversations with people or if I post my content or send out

my newsletter or drop a YouTube video.

When I do that and I get a message from people like I did today that

says, I just listened to seven hours of your YouTube videos in a

row because they were so helpful.

That is what lights me up.

That is what keeps me going, and as long as I keep focused on helping

and supporting other people, then what do you know, the business

growth comes along with that.

But if you're sitting on the sidelines in silence and you are

the world's best kept secret.

It's actually, I think, kind of selfish.

You've got the keys to unlock such an amazing change for someone

else, and you keep it to yourself.

I have a request today, and I know that I often give homework at the

end of these episodes, but today is the day that you take action.

I as your LinkedIn coach here on this podcast often will give you

tips that I know if you go and implement them will make a difference.

But if you cannot change your mindset and get out of your own head, there

is nothing else I can share in these episodes that will ever move the needle

as much as shifting your focus to helping others and supporting others and problem

solving for other people in your business.

This is where the real game changer is.

Today is your day.

Today is the day that you break the hoodoo and actually do that first post.

Now for those of you who need direction to actually make this happen,

literally write the post I listen to the social media for B2B Growth

Podcast with Michelle J Raymond.

Tag me.

You know, I'm gonna come and cheer you on.

A hundred percent.

I want you to let people know that you were stopped and on the sideline,

but this helped you take action.

And what can people expect from you in the future?

Because once you do that first one.

Honestly, it will make your life so much easier.

How do I know?

You're talking to the same person that five years ago couldn't record

one five minute video about myself for a digital marketing course?

I threw that whole course away because I could never have imagined in forever that

there is any way shape, or you could have paid me a billion dollars that I could

have recorded that five minute video.

And that is just craziness because you are sitting here judging me,

going, Michelle, you show up for this podcast and your YouTube videos

and talk nonstop for much longer.

You stand on international stages in front of hundreds of people, and you are here to

tell me that five years ago you couldn't even record one five minute video.

Yes, I am.

But it was that first video that I ever made and it's, you know,

atrocious and I look back and cringe.

But without that, I can't be who I am today.

I can't have that impact with you listeners that I do today.

So for you, I want you to imagine if you just break through today, where

could you be in five years time?

Did you take a moment and actually think about where you might get to

if you just allowed yourself the grace to show up and have a go?

It is not gonna be the best post.

It doesn't matter.

The fact that you were courageous enough and adopted that winning mindset and got

out there is going to be game changing!

So if you wanna use LinkedIn to grow your business, start here.

Start with mindset.

Grab your copy of The LinkedIn Branding Book.

We talk about the Brand Squared System.

It starts with mindset.

It's available on Amazon.

The details will be in the show notes.

Yes.

This is a shameless plug because I know that that book will help many of you.

Why?

'cause we've sold thousands of copies and I've got all of their feedback and

got the reviews from people that say it actually changed things for them.

And that is why I'm here, my friends.

That is why I show up week after week, and I want you to be the

same for your audience and your community and your clients.

So just remember the last thing that I can leave you with is

that done is better than perfect.

So until next week, cheers.