Recently I started a class for start-up businesses. What I learned was dramatic in flair and challenged me in understanding just what mental blockades the start-up entrepreneur can face.
The act of starting a business can be perceived as overwhelming. These mental blockades that I discovered entrepreneurs often face point to a much deeper issue I want to make you aware of that goes way beyond this particular start-up class.
Let me put on my business coaching hat and explain something that many potential business owners never realize.
It will never be the perfect time to get your business going. Never.
In this cycle you will create a deadline for when you will start something, attempting to create the perfect time to take an action. You will rarely create a deadline to actually complete something. It is never the perfect time. For taking a business class, getting married, having kids, even going to bed. Sometimes you just have to make the move.
A move.
Any move.
Decide and act. Lead yourself to the destination you want to go instead of attempting to follow yourself into complacent immobility.
You will also never have the resources you need to start, grow and continue to grow your business without you being resourceful. Time, money, effort, people, laws and customers will never perfectly align. This will necessitate that you be resourceful. All of the time. Do you know of any one person or business with no problems? It will be up to you to find the time, money, effort, passion, drive and persistence to make your business what you want it to be. At no point will blame or delay help you. This decision making prowess goes well beyond business, as you probably understand.
I tell you this not to convince you to take a particular action. If it isn’t a good fit, skip it. But I get the feeling that if I see you in a few months you will have made little to no progress towards the goal of getting your business going and will have a vague and hopeful implementation plan that starts with something like, “As soon as X, I will work on my business.”
Maybe the hope of starting your business is enough for you. For many people (arguably most in the case of start-up entrepreneurs) hanging onto that hope that someday they will start a business is enough for them. Perhaps that is enough for you. Hope will do well for a lot of people. That is why diet soda sells so well. In that case, keep doing what you are doing. I preach to people that hope is not enough. Hope without action is a dream that will never manifest. That if you want something you need to make moves to achieve that something. Hope is for the weak. Action is for the leaders.
When you get a client will you hope that you can help them or will you take every action you can to all but guarantee that you will help them? I know you can help people. You are doing the world a disservice by not implementing your business idea as soon as possible. Don’t you agree?
Let me challenge you a bit, as you know I like to do. There are two options, the figurative red pill and the blue pill.
The blue pill:
You continue hoping that someday you will start your business. You wait for the perfect time while your limited time continues to march on.
The red pill:
You decide today to do whatever it takes to start your business. You define clear goals with clear expectations and you go full force towards that goal of starting your business. You become a speeding train of possibilities that pays no homage to hope. You move with certainty that you will create and grow this business. Regardless of obstacles, setbacks, challenges or outside opinions. Because you know in your heart this is the best means for you to help as many people as possible. Something you know you were destined to do.
There is no purple pill.
Either way, I wish you the best.
James Kademan is a Business Coach for Draw In Customers Business Coaching in Madison, Wisconsin. When he isn’t taking great action, he is busy guiding entrepreneurs to success in business and beyond. He blogs successfully to the world at www.drawincustomers.com. If you are considering hiring a business coach, take a moment to call James at (608)210-2221. Make the decision today to grant yourself the power of fast decision making.
