Entrepreneurs and small business owners are some of the most creative dreamers you’ll meet. We’re the type that are constantly thinking about what’s next, coming up with new ideas, and daydreaming about possibilities. Lightbulbs go off in our heads in the shower, in the car, or even at 3 a.m.! The challenge for ambitious dreamers is translating all those ideas into real plans. Don’t fret, though! I’ve got some tips on how to put your ideas into action.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get It “Wrong”
There are about a million quotes floating around the internet about how common it is to fail before you succeed. Fearing failure is a pretty common reason you might be afraid to put your ideas into action. But hey, some of the most successful people in the world have a trail of losses and missteps behind them on their way to making it big.
“If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.”
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.”
All that might sound inspirational and motivating, but when you’re in the thick of growing a business and working your butt off for success, it can be difficult not to take it hard when things don’t go well. I mean, when you’ve put your heart into something and it doesn’t work, pretty social media quotes can feel pretty empty.
Trust me, I’ve been there. Remember my yoga-studio-that-could? I was hit with so many crazy curveballs starting that business (rats in the ceiling?!) and ran into what felt like giant brick walls left and right. But I didn’t give up. And it was worth it.
Look: More often than not, things won’t go perfectly the first time around. That first course, launch, or draft might not be the “one” that changes everything for your business. The important thing is to be willing to let Version 1.0 be less than perfect. Then you grow from there. You get smarter and better with each thing you try.
Take the lessons you learn the first time around, and use them to adapt or modify things to make them even better.
Don’t Be *Too* Original
I want to be really clear here. Being yourself and being original is important. Authenticity is everything when it comes to connecting with your target audience and building trust and credibility with them. But, there’s a line between being original and being too original.
You’ve probably heard all the gurus out there telling you to “find your own voice,” that you’re totally a unique snowflake, blah blah blah. Maybe they have a point. However, if you’re too far *out there* or too out of the box, no one’s going to buy from you.
Why? They won’t understand what the heck’s going on. If you’re unfamiliar to the masses and they can’t relate to you or your branding, they’re not going to want to engage with you. And you can’t put your ideas into action if you don’t have anyone who wants them.
Think about it: Which Instagram influencers do you follow, or even invest your money in? The ones who seem like they “get” you, or the ones that seem a tad off their rocker?
If you want to attract the right people, take a close look at who seems to be doing really well in your niche. What are they doing and what seems to be working really well for them? Learn from them and put your own spin on things. Iterate, don’t copy.
I’ve heard people say, “Well, the market for the XYZ niche is too saturated, I’m going to shake things up and do something different.” Umm… OK. It’s saturated for a reason: Probably because it’s a profitable sweet spot!
Keep Your Eyes On The Big Picture
Hey, I know as well as anyone that running a business is a lot more than running with your ambitions. There’s also the nitty-gritty, day-to-day stuff that’s so necessary but can be equally time-consuming. And when you finally do have time to sit down and think about how to put your ideas into action, it’s pretty easy to go down all the rabbit holes and get lost in the details.
Here’s the problem: Getting bogged down in details will keep you in perpetual “idea mode.” When you’re consumed with the small stuff, you’ll never feel like your big ideas are ready or good enough to explore.
Yes, you should absolutely try to be thorough, strategic, and think about all the possibilities. But also try to remember that if you’re not careful, you can spend forever trying to make things perfect. And while competitors in that oversaturated niche of yours are out there sharing what they’ve got with your ideal customers, you’ll still be stuck agonizing over a million tiny details.
I firmly believe that consistent B- action and effort is as valuable as the occasional A+ effort. Seriously: You can’t give 100% of your efforts and energy to everything all the time. It’s a lot better to do what you can and do it consistently than have sporadic moments of intense productivity and then… Nothing.
Getting in the mindset that you can (and should) take action even when you don’t “feel” ready is kind of like building a muscle. The more you do it, the more you start to realize that you’re capable of accomplishing things even when you don’t feel like they’re perfect.
‘Cause, guess what? You probably will never feel ready. You’ve just gotta try.
Ready to change your mindset, target your dream clients, and schedule your day so you can level up your business? Grab my Supercharge Your Business course. You’ll get the three-step system I use to run successful businesses, attract the clients I want to work with, and avoid burning out.
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