Do you have an idea that keeps popping up, nagging at you to do something towards it but you keep pushing it off? Maybe your big idea keeps getting pushed to the back burner because you’re “too busy”. Or perhaps you aren’t getting around to taking action on your dream because of self-doubt, negative thinking or fear.
The problem is that you can’t really think your way out of this limbo. The only way through this wheel spinning, do-nothing phase is to take action. I don’t mean that you should leap blindly. But, you don’t need to have everything all thought out. At first, having a very simple plan is enough to get going.
Taking action on your simple plan will help you garner the experience needed for you to figure out the next step and build up the confidence to take it. When you take small steps in the direction of your idea, you’ll get some valuable data about it. The action will work out the way you hoped and you will feel inspired to continue or it won’t and you can tweak it or put it to rest. But you have to get your out of your head and into the world by doing, not thinking.
One stumbling block that can thwart an amazing business idea is the money issue. It’s easy to get stuck in the trap of taking action, but stall out at the step of asking for payment for your work. I see this a lot with coach’s who give free sessions and never move on.
Some people have resistance to putting a price on what they do. Others are afraid of letting people know what that price is. If you have a viable business idea, then there are people out there who already want whatever it is you do or who are waiting for whatever it is you have for sale. But you are the one that has to believe in yourself. There is usually a boatload of self-limiting behavior behind not charging or not charging enough for your work.
What is keeping you from taking that amazing business idea further and putting it into action? How do you go from thinking and dreaming to taking the actions needed to make things happen?
Here are a few suggestions to help you take that leap:
- Stop the negative self-talk.
Whatever it is you are telling yourself to keep you from doing what you know you want to do, stop. Change the message to one that encourages you to go for your dream. - Make a simple plan.
Figure out how much money you absolutely need to make to get by working your dream. Then set your goals as to how much you can charge and how many services/products you need to produce and sell in order to meet or exceed your minimum financial base. - Buff your skills.
If there are things you need to learn to put your plan in action, then learn them. Take a course or hire someone who can help teach you or do it for you but get those skills down. - Create a basic website.
This is a great exercise in conceptualizing your business. Determine the messaging that you need to present your business as an offer that solves a problem for your ideal client. Have a page describing your service or services and how much the various packages cost. You will find it is easier on you to have this information out in the world where you can refer to get more information about what you do and what it costs. It will make it easier for you to close a deal since it is out there in the universe written down for all to see. - Plan your work.
The key to success is to take the first action and then to keep taking action. Consistency is needed. Make work habits that give you enough time and momentum to start seeing success. Starting and stopping is a sure way to get off track and each time you do it will be harder to get going again. - Stay flexible.
You need to know when to stay the course and when to experiment. Be open to change and tweaks in your idea when you get feedback from the actions you are taking. - Don’t give your power away.
Get the support you need to stay strong on your path and thwart that damn negative self-talk we talked about in step one.
By taking action you may find better ways to do your big idea or it may morph into something you hadn’t even considered before. One thing for sure is that you will not get anywhere without doing the work it takes to develop your ideas.
I’d love to hear about your burning idea and what you’re going to do about it. Please pipe up in the comments!
