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Building a Business Can Be Downright Terrifying. Here's How to Cope. (Infographic) A new survey has found that you're probably a lot more prepared than you think.

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Choosing to be an entrepreneur can be downright terrifying.

In a new study conducted by the UPS store, a majority of respondents claimed that building a business was the second scariest "life-changing event' that they ever intended to face, followed by concerns surrounding retirement savings.

Entrepreneurship was a scarier prospect for the 1,700 consumers and business owners surveyed than getting a divorce, becoming a parent or moving to a new city.

Related: How I Overcome the Fear of Failure

At the same time, the survey found, there are ways to temper these anxieties. Eighty-two percent of small business owners, for instance, said that tapping a mentor helped them power through their initial trepidations.

And, it turns out, many of these fears were ultimately found to be unwarranted. More than half of respondents reported that they were actually more prepared to start their businesses than they initially thought.

For additional stats and coping mechanisms, check out the infographic below.

Related: 20 Motivational Quotes from Legendary Entrepreneurs, Leaders and Visionaries (Infographic)

Click to Enlarge

Building a Business Can Be Downright Terrifying. Here's How to Cope. (Infographic)

Related: 10 Fears You Must Overcome When Starting a New Business

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

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