Picture this: a notebook filled with ideas, spreadsheets forecasting every financial possibility, a professional-looking business plan running into many pages, copious To-Do lists. So far so very tidy.
As a business coach I obviously encourage clients to spend time planning, so they know what needs doing and when. The problem arises when they don’t seem to progress beyond the planning stage.
The reasons for this vary according to the individual concerned, but can include lack of experience, lack of knowledge or resources, lack of confidence (in ability), fear of failure, fear of success, even fear of the unknown.
The answer is, unsurprisingly, to take action and break the stalemate. Any action in this case, is better than none so this situation doesn’t continue too long. Because the plan may cover a large and ambitious goal, it can be hard to switch to the detailed view and identify what to do first, but that is exactly what’s needed.
In business, as in life, taking the first steps into the unknown can be scary. Fortunately this is usually more than compensated for by the feelings of exhilaration and achievement at having taken action!
And by taking small steps every day, the plans will start to be transformed into reality. Without those steps, they will become sad and dusty artefacts of what might have been.
What steps are you taking today?
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