How to Beat Fear, Doubt, and Uncertainty to Hit Your Goals
Everyone has heard of FOMO, but have you also heard of FUD? I hadn't either, until a recent conversation with my son Andre on the topic of bitcoin. FUD stands for Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt, and I am going to guess that fear, doubt, and uncertainty are emotions you are more than familiar with, especially during these last couple of years. Understanding how fear, doubt, and uncertainty are weaponized against us is crucial for business owners.
Once I heard the term and learned its history, I actually scrapped the podcast I was planning to create for this week and recorded this one instead. The acronym FUD was coined in 1975, but variations of it have been used since the 1920s and even in the late 1860s. It is a propaganda tactic used in politics, polling, public relations, sales and marketing, and inside cults. FUD involves disseminating negative and false, misleading, or dubious information with the purpose of evoking fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
That fear is intended to manipulate people into remaining loyal party members, clients, or customers by highlighting the perceived risk of exploring alternatives. From fake and conspiracy theories to the sleazy tactics of 'bro' marketing, examples of FUD in modern culture are too numerous to count.
In this episode, I will share:
Why trust is at an all-time low and how it affects us as business owners
The cult-like FUD tactics of many coaching programs and nearly all MLMs
How unconscious fear, doubt, and uncertainty programming affects both buyers and sellers
Reflections on my past careers in sales and psychotherapy through a FUD lens
What to look for in your own business practices that might be a little bit FUD-ish
The good news is that the more aware we are of FUD tactics, the more we can resist them as consumers and avoid them as business owners. By recognizing how fear, doubt, and uncertainty are used to manipulate, we can build businesses based on genuine value and trust instead.
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So, that's all for now! Please join us next week for another amazing guest interview with Kathi Burns, a Certified Professional Organizer who is going to share why getting rid of your paper files is the gateway to a life of freedom.
© 2025 ADHD-ish Podcast. Intro music by Ishan Dincer / Melody Loops / Outro music by Vladimir / Bobi Music / All rights reserved.
