But on other hand, fear can smother curiosity, creativity, and many other positive attributes essential to us all. While it is not commonly noted, fear is one reason many balk at mere thought of learning most anything. For some, this fear is so strong they refuse to accept any new idea or to even consider a better way of doing anything.

Fear Is Rational

Suppose you discover something new today you know is absolutely true. You are certain beyond a doubt that it is so. It may mean you need to reevaluate *all* your cherished attitudes, values and convictions.

In short, a new idea can compel one to make changes. While they are unlikely to amount to a new lifestyle, some old habits may need to be replaced with new ones. Some attitudes may need to be updated. And some values may need to be adjusted a bit. For many, such needs are too frightening to even consider.

Thus they shun such risk. They avoid learning and any activity which might present new ideas. They tend to remain set in their ways, and don't want to change much of anything.

Yet Success Requires Learning

Any business, offline or online, either continues to grow, else it stagnates, and ultimately withers and dies. To continue to succeed, there is no option but to grow. Yet growth and learning are intertwined. There will be no growth without new ideas to be explored and implemented.

This is not an acceptable proposition to many new to business. Particularly on Web, there seems to be a tendency to create a business, then focus on keeping it running as well as possible. While this may generate some income, it does not lead to more, for it does not lead to growth.

Fear As A Brick Wall

Suppose you discover through testing on your website that a navigation bar across top of your page draws better than one in left column. Suppose page views double, indicating many more people are exploring much more of your site. And that sales increase.

If someone had told me in my 20s I would attempt to start my own home business at 50, I would have thought they had taken some really good (bad?) drugs. If someone had told me in my 30s I would write articles that would be read by hundreds of people, I would have asked them how long they had been hearing voices. If someone had told me in my 40s I would have a business that involved using a computer, I would have laughed so hard I would need to excuse myself to change my underwear.

Well, here I am...50 years old. I have started my own home business; I have written articles that have been read by hundreds of people (Okay...I KNOW my husband, best friend and mother-in-law have read them); and my home business involves computer.

I say this with absolutely no conceit. I say this with wonder and amazement. This actually is ME living this life. I've dreamed of owning my own business for years; I've dreamed of writing and being published for years. I'm STILL dreaming of learning how to stop crashing computer.

I don't regret not doing any of this at a younger age. I fully appreciate what is happening to me more at age of 50 because I know what a struggle it has been. I'm more humble about my "success" because I have an attitude of gratitude. I look at what I've accomplished with astonishment of a 3-year-old.

When I turned 50, I realized that road before me was shorter than road behind me. There was something about turning 50 that made me come to realization that I didn't have as much time to do things I've always wanted to do.