Starting a business takes grit, resilience and determination but it can be an incredible journey of self discovery, purpose and income. No-one can prepare you for the range of emotions you go through when you start your own business. They say mindset is 80% of what makes a business a success and only 20% strategy. Once the euphoria of the decision to step into the unknown and start a business wears off the reality may start to kick in. Having your own business means you have to motivate yourself, you become the director of your life, you can choose to work or not to work, you make your deadlines and sometimes this can feel an impossible task. Â
It is common to feel frustrated, feel fear either of success or failure, feel overwhelmed, be stuck in analysis paralysis where all you do is consume knowledge but never take the next step to creating the actual thing that is going to bring in the sales. You know you need to take the next step but you may feel you are not good enough, that you need to know more or that people will judge you. All these thoughts and emotions are real when you start a business.Â
It is a noisy world and not knowing where to start and procrastination can lead to months of being stuck and unable to move forward.Â
Feeling stuck usually comes from indecision. It is said that Indecision is the thief of joy and dreams. The more decisive you are about your vision, messaging and taking the next step the more clarity and motivation there is. Here are 5 ways to move forward from being stuck as advised by Hilary Thomson:
Look at the bigger picture
Map out all the processes that go into your business. Look at what you love, don’t love and what you can outsource. Getting clear on the direction you want your business to go in will help you outsource it quicker. Stepping back and looking at where the sticking blocks are will make you look at your business differently and once you start outsourcing you will start to see the flow. Outsourcing the technical tasks takes the fear out of tech which can keep people perpetually stuck.
Step away from your computer and desk
Turn off your phone, go and sit outside with a book or a journal or sit away from your normal desk in another room. Creativity will allow your mind to wander and change your perspective. If you find yourself stuck staring at the screen, not knowing where to begin, go for a walk or take time out to get a different perspective. Studies show when you are relaxed you are at your most productive.
Clarity comes from taking action
Once you start taking action you will find things begin to flow. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Take imperfect messy action to move you forward a few steps at a time. As you take the action your confidence will grow which will spur you on to take more action. Some things will work and some won’t but don’t let that get you down. Having a business means testing things all the time to see what resonates with people and what people need and will pay for. Fail fast and try something else.
Think of your vision and what you want to achieve in the next 90 days
Write it out in minute detail. Map it out on a calendar with tasks allocated to specific dates. What do you need to build and create? Break down what you want to take action on into smaller steps. Be a creator not a consumer. Make a decision on something, stick with it and do it. Keep it simple. Get one thing working and selling and then add to it.
Get help, reach out and talk to someone i.e. a mentor or a coach
It is always easier for someone to help you see your business from the outside. Once you start voicing your thoughts and ideas it makes them clearer. You are not meant to do this alone. Once you start asking for help you will start getting clearer on what you want to move forward on. A coach and mentor can help with your messaging which, when you get it right will feel in alignment and make everything flow easier. Give yourself permission to ask for help to move forward and make your business a success.Â
