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Fear of failure held me back from being a DIYer for many years, especially after a few early attempts at home improvement projects went awry.

I was afraid people wouldn't take me seriously, or would stop respecting me, if I talked about how bad I was feeling. The only people I talked openly about it with was my business partner, Dave Jilk, and my girlfriend - now wife - Amy Batchelor. They were amazingly supportive, but even then, I was deeply ashamed about my weaknesses.

I had a fear of being alone.

When I was in my mid-20s, running a successful company and clinically depressed, I was afraid to talk to anyone other than my psychiatrist about it. I was ashamed that I was even seeing a psychiatrist.

I think if you talk to my colleagues, I was less than a fearsome individual.

I think my whole life, because of where I came from, I had a fear of failure.

I was afraid of not living up to what people expected me to be.