5 Ways to Get Out of Your Own Way and Get Started

I can’t tell you how many women I’ve worked with that sat on a great idea for their business for far too long. What I can tell you is how many of those women were glad they waited.

Zero.

That’s right. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

The number is easy to remember because none of them wished they had continued to wait. Instead wish they could have gone back in time and started pursuing what they loved sooner. And I’m one of them!

It is so easy for us to wait until we have it all figured out before taking a jump into a new project. Except really, we’ll never have it all figured out. And who would want to? Learning new thing is part of the fun when you’re running a business or starting any journey in life. (Sounding a little Kumbaya right now? I hear you, but I think it needs to be said.)

There are so many things that can hold you back and lucky you, each and every one of them probably interrupts your thoughts every time you do think about diving in. Am I right? Well believe when I say that you are standing in your own way. It’s not the lack of expertise in your area or the underfunded budget to put towards your business and it’s certaintly not the basic website or lack of social media know how that’s stopping you. It’s you.

The lucky thing here is that changing that is the easiest thing to do. Here are 5 ways to get out of your own way and get started!

Stop believing the lies you tell yourself

I don’t have a good camera or video equipment. I’m not a good writer. I don’t have time like “they” do to spend on creating content. I don’t have anyone to help me set up at markets. There is no way I can afford to start a blog. I cannot possibly juggle one more thing with my business!

I’m not going to pull the “excuses, excuses” card here because, hey, these can be legit doubts and hurtles to jump over. But you can’t improve or take a next step if you’ve never even taken the first one to begin with! Stop believing that every little thing is a road block to your success because for each thing you may not be able to do just yet, there are more than likely 10 or more that you can.

You don’t have a great camera or video equipment yet. Become a master at using your iPhone and look up tips on YouTube and Pinterest to make your photos look great. You can’t afford to start a website or a blog right now? Create a free template using WordPress or Wix in the meantime. Look at each part of the puzzle and attack the things you can do immediately and then chip away at the others.

Stop hoarding product until it’s perfect

While you’re waiting for perfection… other people are making money. Think about that for a second.

Give it your all and then commit to putting it out there in the world. If we’re being honest, nothing is ever going to feel good enough.  When you stop being afraid to put your work or services out for people to see, incredible growth happens. What you should really be afraid of, is never letting anyone see what you have to offer and missing out on customers and clients who could be your raving fans but you’ll never know.   I mean look at Taylor Swift’s first album compared to now? I’m just saying – I think we all have to start somewhere and accept that things can only can better as we grow as creatives.

Stop trying to learn everything under the sun

Living in the digital age as a business owner has so many benefits and you would think having all kinds of information at your  fingertips would be a good thing right? Except often times there is something called information overload and it can be paralyzing for some of us. Whether you are honing in on your skills for your particular craft,  learning about marketing strategies or best practices to launch a new product line or any of the other millions of things on your mind you have to eventually say “that’s enough” and stop consuming and start creating!

You have so much knowledge already, I promise you. Hold off on learning everything under the sun and use what you already know to get started. Once you’re in the groove of things then take time to learn new things to help move you forward. Just don’t get stuck in the cycle of consuming every little bit of information out there!

Stop acting like it’s all set in stone

So many times we worry about putting something out there that’s “imperfect” or not our best work and we forget that it’s not set in stone! Creating a brand and building a business is filled with learning curves. You will continue to grow and evolve and with it, your business will too! So don’t be afraid of making mistakes and knowing you’ll continue to move forward and change things up as time goes on. That’s part of the beauty of being a business owner and a creative in general. Just because you do something one way right now, doesn’t mean that’s how it will always be. You have the freedom to make judgement calls and improve things later as your resources and even your taste or vision changes.

Start now

That’s right. Here comes the scary part of all of this; getting started. If you want something bad enough you’re eventually going to have to sift through all the scary parts and just DO IT ALREADY! Take the plunge and dive in head first- and all the other swimming metaphors out there!

You can start small and stay in your comfort zone in the beginning as long as you actually get started working towards what you want. Remember, everyone starts somewhere. The CEOs of the largest most successful companies didn’t get there by waiting until everything was picture perfect either- they had to start somewhere. Doing things before we’re ready is where some of our most incredible work comes from!

Make the most of what you have and where you are

There will always be reasons to hold off a little longer but sometimes you have to push yourself to push your business forward. Take inventory of your current resources and how you can use them to leverage your business right now. This includes your physical supplies and budget but also your relationships and network along with your talent and passion. All of these combined are exactly what you need to begin!

If you have been waiting to take that first step in turning your talent into a business or talking yourself out of making the next move in your existing brand, I want you to know I believe you’re ready and you already have what it takes to get started! If you need help getting out of your own way, I am here for you! Shoot over a message here and let me know what you’re excited to get started on, lady! I’d love to keep you accountable and be your cheerleader!