I would dare say tens of thousands of people have dreams and ideas of starting a business and having an additional income stream. But I'd also dare to say very few move from dreaming of their business idea to implementing it.
Is it just a dream? Is it something you earnestly want to make a reality? Because if you ever want to see the reality, you must give up on your idea and move to implementation.
We spend months, some years, in the "idea" mode and never make the transition to implementation. It may be fear, self-sabotage, imposter syndrome, lack of support, or finances stopping you. Or, in some instances, you just may be a lifetime dreamer. You are always dreaming about the idea with no intention to take the leap and implement your vision. And some have ideas but are honestly unwilling to take the risk needed to launch a business.
You can have the best idea to make a considerable impact on others and generate consistent revenue but, at some point, you have to move from dreaming, talking and planning to implementation and execution.
I've worked with clients who have sat on a very lucrative business idea for years. Don’t let that be you!
Have you ever wondered why some entrepreneur's ideas succeed and others don't? Could it be the ones who achieve great success do so because they continually take the time to create goals and the strategy needed to meet them?
What ideas are you currently sitting on? What are you depriving the world of? How long will you allow the dreams and visions to lay dormant?
You've been saying for years, "I'm not ready; it's not time." But what does "ready" look like? Think about that question and be honest with yourself. You've sat on this idea for years, yet you're not ready. I challenge you to take the time to write down what "ready" looks like to you. Then, determine how you will address each obstacle that's stopping you from being "ready."
Here are a few things you must continually do to move from idea to implementation:
Believe in yourself, shift your mindset and address your fear of failure and self-sabotaging behavior. Check out these previous blog posts for additional information: "Let's Talk about FOF" and "Self-Sabotage: How to Recognize and Change It."
Surround yourself with positive people. Every coach needs a coach. Learn from those that have mastered where you are trying to go. Be open for feedback, wisdom and direction; this can assist you in avoiding mistakes others have made. However, stay focused on your vision. Don't let what might be deemed negative deter you from your idea. Receive all input and make your own decision and follow your instinct.
Acknowledge it's a risk but embrace the risk because you'll never know what could happen if you don't try. Things may not go exactly as planned, and that's alright, but stay focused on your idea and the vision you have of launching your business. When things don't go exactly as planned, take the opportunity to reevaluate and determine what changes may need to occur.
Be patient with yourself. Don't pressure yourself, and most importantly, don’t compare yourself to others. So often, we compare ourselves to someone who has been in business for many years when we're just starting out. Don't get over-anxious. Moving from idea to implementation and running a business is a journey, not a destination.
Determine what problem your idea will solve. Is there a need for the product or service you provide? Be confident in your vision and the value of what you're offering. Remember, you must sell it to your potential clients.
Be clear on your why. Why are you doing this? Your idea should have purpose and meaning. Understanding your why will be the thing that keeps you going when you're ready to give up.
Break things down into small pieces. Moving from idea to implementation can appear overwhelming; however, breaking things down into manageable steps makes it very possible for you to transition from thoughts and dreams to reality.