Get Unstuck
How should I put together my service offerings? What’s the best way to reach my ideal client? Should I focus on writing blogs to build my online platform or posting on social media? And what about an opt-in offer?
If you’re an entrepreneur, it can be so easy to get caught up in trying to figure out what to do next (and how to do it) that you end up not doing anything at all to really move your business forward.
It’s called planning paralysis -- and the struggle is real.
When good planning goes bad
As an entrepreneur business coach, I see it all the time. Brilliant leaders who are experts in their field and should be reaping the benefits of a thriving business find themselves spinning their wheels, stuck in a perpetual cycle of planning.
Don’t get me wrong -- planning is absolutely essential. Growing a business requires stepping back regularly to make time for strategic planning and goal setting with a clear target in mind. The problem comes in when entrepreneurs stay in the planning mode rather than stepping back into their business to implement.
Why does this happen? Sometimes it’s the paralysis that comes from wanting your plans to be perfect. Or lack of clarity about what to focus on. Or maybe it’s the feeling of overwhelm that comes from knowing you just don’t have the bandwidth to put all those plans into action.
Whatever the reason for being stuck in the planning loop, the solution is the same: Roll up your sleeves and do the work.
Clearing your plate for consistent action
The only way out of planning paralysis is consistent implementation. And consistent implementation means taking action continually, even when those actions are less than perfect. The small steps you take and mini goals you accomplish will build on each other, and you will reach your larger goals much faster than if you waited for everything to be perfect.
Wondering how to take action when there is so much to do? That was the problem my mastermind member Marissa was facing. I worked with her to break down her processes so that she could create a job description to hire her first virtual assistant.
You can use the same four steps to clear your plate of unnecessary work so you can focus on the actions that give you the greatest return on investment:
Break down your processes and evaluate which steps are adding value and which can be eliminated.
Take your narrowed-down list and identify which steps have to be done by you and which can be delegated.
For the steps that can be delegated, determine which skills are needed to complete those tasks.
Use this skill list as a job description to hire a team.
Supercharge your success with strategic support
One of the main culprits of planning paralysis is lack of clarity about what actions to focus on to gain momentum in your business. It’s hard to take action when you don’t know what action to take! This is where the right support can make all the difference between staying stuck and stepping up.
You can find support by hiring a business coach or joining a mastermind group. Working side by side with a business coach who is willing to roll up their sleeves with you and dig into your business will allow you to reach your goals faster than you dreamed. And in a mastermind group you have the benefit of new perspectives as you brainstorm to overcome roadblocks.
My mastermind member Susie experienced this firsthand as I worked with her to rewrite her sales page copy. Once she gained clarity on her messaging and a more effective format, her next steps came into focus to attract and convert more and more ideal clients.
Rolling up your sleeves
Rolling up your sleeves and doing the work looks different for every entrepreneur.
For my client Jill, the key was to step back and look at the bigger picture so that she could create a new business model that leveraged her expertise, generated more income, and required less of her time. I worked with her in my mastermind to lay the foundation that has the potential to catapult her business to new heights of success.
Whatever it looks like for you, here are three steps you can take now to get started with getting unstuck:
Get clear on your target: If you find yourself spinning your wheels, pause to identify what you're trying to achieve and how you're going to get there.
Get clear on what you can hand off to someone else: If you know what needs to happen but don't have the bandwidth to get it done, identify the tasks you can delegate.
Get clear on discovering creative solutions: If you're stuck because you need a new perspective, find a business support group to help you brainstorm and overcome the roadblocks.
If you want to get unstuck, the Above the Crowd mastermind is a year-round virtual program where you can achieve your goals with ease by gaining clarity on the path forward, brainstorming on roadblocks, and acting on clear next steps to move faster and more effectively.
