We can always work for less when we have more to live for.
~ S. Stephen McKenney
Let’s face it. If you are in the thinking/dreaming phase of starting your business, money probably ranks at or near the top of your list of scary excuses not to do it.
I get it. It certainly ranked at the top of mine when I dreamed of started my coaching practice.
This concern weighs heavier if you are making a drastic change out of your corporate job into entrepreneurship, or if you are shifting into a completely different field.
Here are a few questions you are probably asking yourself:
- Can I make enough money?
- How long will it take to be profitable?
- What happens if my idea is no good?
- What happens to the people I care about if I end up broke?
- What if I lose everything I’ve worked for until now?
Those are completely valid concerns. I would worry about you if you didn’t have them.
Instead of letting these questions shut down the notion of starting your business, let yourself ponder them. Write down your worst case scenario.
Mine was that I would wind up as a bag lady living under a bridge broke, cold, alone, desperate, and frightened. My mind conjured up all sorts of nightmarish outcomes.
Looking at what you believe to be the worst case scenario before starting your business is a valuable exercise. After scaring your socks off, it will enable you to evaluate what contingencies to put into place. It can help you ask better questions.
- How can I make enough money?
- How quickly can I become profitable?
- Where can I find a sounding board for my ideas?
- Who can I count on to be my advocates?
- What is my backup plan?
If you often dream of starting your business, I believe there is a fire burning within you, even if you haven’t yet taken action. Fear may have quelled your inner fire. That’s okay.
Facing your fear and answering these questions will give your dream room to breathe. It will bring oxygen and life that will stoke the fires of your passion. That fire will spark tons of new ideas that will keep you excited and your excitement will generate energy which is all that money is anyway.
So don’t wander around in what a friend of mine calls “mind hell”. Listen for your heart’s voice. Listen for it through the noise of your fear about money. Listen for your passion. Let passion guide your action. You’ll end up being so busy having fun you’ll put the money excuse to bed…permanently!
Have you overcome an excuse you had for not starting your business? Post your story in the comments. If you like this article, please share with friends and colleagues.