Tell me if any of these business myths sound familiar to you:
Do what you love, and the money will follow.
If you build it, they will come.
Just coach (or create or write or do-your-thing) and people will pay you.
You’ve likely learned that those statements are generally bogus, magical fantasies designed to frustrate the heck out of entrepreneurs.
But there’s another, more subtle, myth that can be equally deadly to your progress in business.
The worst part?
It’s tough to spot because its disguised as a helpful—even smart—way of thinking.
But don’t let that fool you.
Believing this myth has kept many business owner stuck in neutral for months or years.
Has this myth fooled you?
Here’s the myth that keeps smart, dedicated business owners stuck:
“My business must be perfect, and nothing less will do (if I want to be successful).”
Click to TweetHere’s the myth that keeps smart, dedicated business owners stuck: “My business must be perfect, and nothing less will do.”There’s a false idea that every step you take in your business is always supposed to be perfect. That you should never doubt yourself. That you should feel clicked in 100% all the time.
But it’s just not true.
I know you’re smart enough to know that in life, nothing is ever perfect. You’ve figured this one out. You’ve learned that there’s always room for improvement, and things don’t always go your way. You get it.
The same is true for business, and it’s actually a good thing!
Something not quite right? Why it’s a good thing
One of my all-time favorite clients (I’m fortunate to have a lot of favorite clients) was feeling unsettled about her business. She thought she knew what she wanted to do, but something felt off.
She tried and tried and tried to figure out her niche, but she kept getting stuck. She felt like she hadn’t yet found it, and she was afraid to really put herself out there.
As we talked through it, she saw that she was 80% clear. Not perfect but certainly good enough.
I told her to move forward.
As a diligent student, she followed my guidance and crafted a free offer, started blogging for this niche, and created some offers.
As she did those things, she still knew something wasn’t perfect but kept moving forward anyway.
Then one day, rather unexpectedly, she stumbled upon exactly what wasn’t perfect about her business.
She saw the discrepancy more clearly than ever before. She instantly knew exactly what to change!
Had she just sat around thinking about her niche or had she thrown the towel in altogether, she wouldn’t have seen her new path.
Even though she then needed to redraft her freebie, blog to a different audience, and create new packages, it wasn’t difficult. Along the way to creating her original niche, she learned A LOT. She was easily able to apply all of that knowledge to her new direction.
The best part?
Once she changed her business direction, everything took off.
She had more clients than she could handle, was making more money than ever before, and felt confidence in herself that she had previously only dreamed of.
Because she felt off and kept moving forward anyway, she found the clarity she had been seeking.
Click to TweetClarity comes from taking action.I have a similar story
I haven’t always loved my business every step of the way.
In a nutshell, I quit a nice corporate job to start a career coaching business. I had clients right from the get-go, and it was going okay. At the same time, something felt off.
I couldn’t put my finger on it, so I didn’t stress about it. (That is key!) I kept doing the work to grow my business while simultaneously paying attention to how I was feeling about every aspect of my work.
At this time, I was supplementing my income by working as a virtual assistant (VA) for coaches. I also started doing project management for these clients.
And with my continued awareness of the off-ness of my career coaching, I realised that I loved the VA and project management work way more than career coaching.
Cue aha moment!
I shifted my business away from career coaching and started offering more VA services, coaching to business owners to make their ideas happen, plus project management for more experienced entrepreneurs.
As I dove into my new direction, I felt energized and excited. After all, clarity comes from taking action!
But soon after, something felt off…. Again.
As was true before, I couldn’t put my finger on the exact off-ness, but that was not a problem. I simply kept doing my work and paying close attention to what I loved and didn’t love.
And just like happened previously, the more I didn’t worry about my business being perfect and instead just followed the breadcrumbs, I saw the next shift I needed to make in my business.
Cue another aha moment!
In building that business I had learned a lot about marketing and starting and growing online businesses. I knew far more than when I first quit my corporate job (back then I knew almost nothing!). So I transitioned my business again and focus on business coaching and consulting. I found my new sweet spot!
I loved it! I was energized and excited! Clarity came from taking action!
And then… you guessed it, cue the off-ness again.
As you can guess, this kept happening in my business… and still keeps happening. I am constantly assessing what I love and don’t love and tweaking my business as I go.
It’s never perfect, and it’s never final. I’ll always be adjusting, forever and ever—and that is perfect.
I call this “following the breadcrumbs.”
My Personal Recommendation for YouI Eff’d Up: The Story Behind How I Failed My Way to SuccessWhat this means for you
Don’t let perfectionism stop you from making progress in your business.
Waiting until you “have it all figured out” won’t get you on track. Taking imperfect action will.
Find something that feels 80% right and move in that direction.
After you take a few steps forward, reevaluate. What would be 80% right at that point? Move in that direction.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Follow the breadcrumbs. Eventually, you’ll strike gold. Maybe in two days, maybe in two years. I can’t say for sure.
What I can say is that if you keep moving forward, you’ll build the dream business you’ve been dreaming of.
Your turn
In the comments below, I want to hear from you! Tell me…
1. Are you still waiting for things to be perfect before you take action? How’s it going?
2. Do you have any tips for helping others find the courage to take imperfect action? Please share them below with as much detail as you can.
As always, thanks for reading. If you know someone who has bought into the “perfect business” myth, please share this article with them!
This article was originally published in October 2012 and was updated in April 2017 with new insights and learnings, as a part of my ongoing effort to provide you with the best information to support you and the growth of your business.
Kendrick Shope says
Jenny,
You hit the nail on the head. For a year I waited on everything to be perfect. I spent money changing my website, my web copy, and creating programs that I never finished because they were not perfect. If I had not finally taken action (thanks to working with you) I would still be sitting in that same place, stuck, with no clue about how to move forward, broke, and looking for a real job!
I thought after life coach training, and quitting my corp job, that the business would come. I learned, it’s not enough to know that you are meant for something big in this world, you have to dig in and try some things that aren’t the perfect fit to provide clarity.
Finally taking action, allowing my hands to get dirty, and learning from that experience is a step that is so difficult to take but can be a total game changer for your business.
When you find the perfect fit, that is where the magic happens and dreams come true…sounds cheesy but it is true!
LOVE THIS POST.
Jenny Shih says
You have been a trooper, Kendrick, to get where you are now. I know that for sure. Although part of you may have been looking for the perfect business, you did take massive action. That action brought you clarity. And now, damn if you aren’t in one heck of a sweet spot for your work. 🙂
You said it perfectly: “Finally taking action, allowing my hands to get dirty, and learning from that experience is a step that is so difficult to take but can be a total game changer for your business.”
Thanks for being here and sharing your experiences!
Caroline says
Thank you Jenny for putting this so eloquently. I definitely do have a perfectionist streak and know it plays a part in my procrastination, at times. I am so much more comfortable learning new things, tweaking my copy, look of my website, being a coach etc and shy away from setting action oriented goals for marketing my business. I definitely have been saying something like “if I set the intention for more clients and get specific on how many clients I want and the money I want to earn, the clients will come” I can see how crazy that is now, but it suited me, at the time, to say that to myself as I felt I didn’t know what to do Marketing wise. Until being on the MIWO programme. Jenny I can’t thank you enough for your support, the course, and such an amazing amount of gems you keep sharing. Much love Caroline Lucas xx
Jenny Shih says
I love that you “got onto yourself” and your sneaky ways of hoping to build a business… and now committing to and seeing what it takes. Bravo, Caroline! xo
Janet says
I’m still searching but I made a major breakthru recently. I have an Etsy business which I love but I know I can’t make the kind of money i need just doing that. so I started a self hosted blog but I was torn about my target market. My Etsy market is young moms with babies and their friends who need to buy them gifts. My blog market is people who want to make a living crafting. I couldn’t figure out how to bring this together until just recently. i stumbled ,thru Twitter, into a group of young Moms with blogs and they are very active in the blogoshpere. so i started a second blog on Blogger,cause that’s where they all hangout, and connected it to my first blog. My Blogger blog is about “Crafting a business” and includes crafts and recipes and I participate in the “Bloghops” which connect me with my target audience for Etsy. My original blog is about the “Business side of Crafting” and includes articles about building a business. Now that I’ve cleared it up in my head I’m going full speed. Before I was hemming and hawing about which articles to write but now I write businessy ones for Kyoticave and crafty ones for Kyoticrafts. BTW I love your stuff. Your flight kit really helped me.
Jenny Shih says
Awesome, Janet! I’m so excited to hear that you leaped forward! Clarity came from action. You tried one thing and it wasn’t quite right. You tried another, not quite right. You kept at it and you’ve got this next step right in front of you.
So glad to hear that the flight kit helped you. Always makes me happy to know that more people are getting their genius out into the world by the work I do.
Best of luck to you in your continued journey! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!
Heather Thorkelson says
Hey Jenny,
This is a great post and very much in line with my belief of ‘starting before you’re ready’. It’s so important to get out there and DO stuff and test your market. When I started my business a year ago, I thought I wanted to work with people who were stuck in jobs that were unfulfilling and wanted to to figure out how to make a change. But after working with a bunch of them, I realized that this is NOT my ideal client! I also found I was attracting mostly motivated entrepreneurs, so I listened to the evidence and started shifting my business in that direction. It feels so great and so organic to grow that way, and I’m not worried about letting go of old clients or alienating people as I shift the tone and content of my blog, because I know I’m making space for the right people. Great piece!
Jenny Shih says
I’m right there with you, Heather! Sounds like our journey has been similar. Do one thing until it doesn’t feel right then follow the breadcrumbs to the next logical step. Keep moving forward with the information at hand…
This is well said and offers a great perspective for others looking to shift their businesses: “I’m not worried about letting go of old clients or alienating people as I shift the tone and content of my blog, because I know I’m making space for the right people.”
Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Caryn says
Mmm… Getting it wrong can be so tasty!
Jenny Shih says
For cooks, absolutely! One definite upside to a foodie business 🙂
Jennifer Louden says
important truth well said! We think we have to get it right because we are afraid of getting it wrong. Wrong is not real, it’s an assessment, not a fact. We only learn through action. I’m so glad you are speaking this truth!
Jenny Shih says
We are afraid to get it wrong, aren’t we? It’s one heck of a trap, too, because it keeps us totally, utterly stuck! Though challenging, action propels us forward, even if we’re a little off course.
You’re making me want to pull out my long-not-used engineering skills and explain it from a mathematical point of view, but I have a feeling that may fall a little flat. Let’s just say that as long as you’re sort of moving in the right forward direction, even if you’re off target just a tad, you’re closer to “getting there” than you would be if you stayed exactly where you were 🙂
Thanks for joining the conversation with us today!!
Briana says
I love this Jenny! It is all about taking steps in the direction of your dreams – but yet, you don’t always know what the “perfect” steps are – and it doesn’t really matter because as long as you are moving you will gain experience and perspective that help you achieve your goals.
Your brilliant.
Jenny Shih says
Yes >>> “As long as you are moving you will gain experience and perspective that help you achieve your goals.” Well said, Briana!
Thanks for being here! I have a ton of respect for all that you’ve created in your own life and in your businesses. Can’t wait to see you soon in NYC!
Sonia Ruyts says
Love this ! I’ve made most of my business decisions from a place of being not quite sure and just going for it! My shop has been open a year now, and there has definitely been a lot of tweaking and fine tuning, addressing things I didn’t even know to think about. It’s constantly evolving, and I like it that way!
Jenny Shih says
You created your business from a place of not being quite sure? Your shop is sooo cool and it certainly looks like you’ve got it all figured out. That’s what’s so funny about waiting for things to be “perfect”–we’re usually the only ones who know 🙂
I’ll see you in NYC, too!
Sara says
Just revisited this post and again, what gems you share Jenny! I’m working on a rebrand and relaunch and still not feeling right about my niche. But I completely understand about moving forward even though everything isn’t as perfect as you thought it would be in your head. I’m a recovering perfectionist, thankfully!
What gets me about your comment above, is that you’re right – usually we’re the only ones who recognize what we’d like to improve or what isn’t up to our (incredibly high I might add) standards. Case in point: during my semi-hiatus from blogging this month while trying to get my website in order, I received multiple emails about a past program I ran – Happiest Woman You Know – that people WANT! I capitalize it because amidst what to me felt really chaotic and choppy and imperfect, people were seeking out a program and still finding value. It felt amazing to get that reassurance, but on days when that doesn’t happen, we have to keep moving with our 80% and know that slowly, we’re uncovering the masterpiece while loving the journey.
You rock! Thanks for this post!
Jenny Shih says
One thing that I’ve realized is that the most polished programs aren’t always the best. Often, they are really good, AND unpolished programs can still offer tremendous value to the absolute perfect people. I’m so glad that you see that about your program, Sara!
Rachael says
Like you Jenny, when I quit my corporate job to start my coaching business, I thought I had all my plans laid out and that the clients would stream in.
Um, not so much.
Then I realized that I didn’t really enjoy doing general Life Coaching, but preferred working with my weight loss and relationship clients most, so I refined my business towards those niches and it all felt so much more enjoyable, productive and effective.
There have been other reasonably significant changes I have made on the and I still don’t feel like its all 100% perfect but I feel a lot more on track now and am working with amazing people, doing work I love.
Jenny Shih says
You’ve got the best approach (I think), Rachael. Take a stab at what feels right, then morph as you find new things that excite you more.
I think that 100% perfect feeling is a short-lived one, especially if you’re someone who is always moving forward in life and business. We click into 100% and then in a very short period of time, then realize we’re off a bit. We feel or see changes (big or small) that we need to make in order to click back to 100%, only to be there for a short bit before wanting more changes.
That’s why I call it the “perfect business” myth. I’m not convinced most of us will ever get there permanently, especially if we’re the type who loves to grow, expand, and challenge ourselves. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your story here. I always love hearing about women who keep moving forward to find the right business for them.
Stephenie Zamora says
I soooooo needed this, thank you! It’s true, sometimes you don’t know what you want or need until you’re out there doing the work. I now know my perfect business (at least for the next evolution) and am taking steps to make the shift. 🙂
Jenny Shih says
You’re totally right, Stephenie! You can’t always know what you want or need until you’re out there. I say we can’t “think” our way into the future, we have to move toward it!
I love that you know where you’re headed in your business. It feels good to have that clarity, even if we haven’t hit it yet.
Thanks for being here, and I can’t wait to see what you create!
Frances Arnold says
Thank you soooo much, Jenny! This is perfect advice at the perfect time. I’m going to echo your thoughts in my head: go with what feels 80% right. That’s about where I’m at now. So I guess this means that I’m ready! Woo hoo! I feel better knowing that I’m not alone in how confusing it can be to find your perfect niche.
Jenny Shih says
Woo-hoo is right, Frances! 80%, you’re golden. Move forward and step by step, you’ll find the right-enough business for you!!
Will you share, what is your 80% on-target business?
Andrea says
I love it to take imperfect action, to take risks when they are in allignement with my heart. I actually have two businesses, tracks. I am a Mime and teach body language and body image where I help people to step into their power, be fully present and boost their charisma. And on the other side I am a dreamcoach who helps people to connect with their heart and live and find their dreams. I always was unshure wich way to follow and now I just allow myself to follow my energie. We never know where it will lead us, don’t we!love from an imperfect English writing Swiss girl,Andrea
Jenny Shih says
I really believe that about you, Andrea, that you follow your energy and take imperfect action. Your businesses are so perfect for that type of approach!
Simone says
I think I am at this point of inaction a bit now- waiting for the perfect moment for perfect things to happen with my perfect business. Why is it that we are so hung up on perfect all the time? From now, I am going to take more action, and do less thinking, and hopefully my clarity will come- thanks Jenny 🙂
Jenny Shih says
I wish I knew why we did that, Simone, but I’m not really sure. Fear, maybe? Fear of not being good enough, fear of being rejected, fear of failing? It keeps us stuck, that is for sure!
Sending you energetic support through the ether to take those small steps, one at a time, to help you get where you want to go!
Andrea says
Jenny, how can I add my foto on your comment page?
Jenny Shih says
Create an account at http://gravatar.com. It links your email address with a photo you choose and then will show up on any website/blog that has it enabled.
Susan James says
Jenny…you so saved me from falling into the perfect trap. Coaching with you was the most empowering action I have taken to date. I am in acton and slowly building my business. It’s a lot of fun. Thanks to you I am on purpose.
My business is far from perfect Thank you so much.
Love
Susan
Jenny Shih says
I’m so happy that I could do that for you, Susan! You have been such a shining example of taking the next step you know how to take and keeping moving forward. Seriously, a role model! I love how much you love your not perfect business 🙂
Debbie Reber says
Love this, Jenny! I’ve been looking back at my past year since becoming a certified life coach and the one word that sums up everything I’ve created for my business would be “experiment.” That word for me takes the pressure off when it comes to wanting / expecting results and definitive direction. My business today doesn’t look like what I imagined when I first decided to add “life coach” to my offerings as a consultant, but I love the direction I’m going in of working with writers and creatives, and am excited to see what comes next! Everything informs everything…
Jenny Shih says
I LOVE to use that word “experiment” as well. It’s so freeing!
My business doesn’t look like I thought it would when I first started, either, but following the breadcrumbs, taking action, trying new things and being willing to experiment got me to a great place… And I trust it will keep bringing me to good places. So happy to hear you share a similar point of view. Thanks for sharing here!
Stephanie Watanabe says
LOVE this post Jenny! You’ve helped me get clear and adopt this 80% philosophy in our first few weeks working together and O.M.G! You are spot on.
By just taking action and putting one foot in front of the other, I have more clarity and more momentum (and more excitement) for my business than I’ve had in the last 3+ years.
The trick for me is to remember to come back to the 80% and following those breadcrumbs – that it’s not a find it once and you’re all good, but a constant work-in-progress.
Thank you for what you do ~ and for this great post!
Jenny Shih says
80%, baby!!!
I love that you are feeling passion and excitement for your biz, Stephanie. You have good ideas, experiences, knowledge, and skilled to share with the world, and I’m so glad you are going to be getting more of them out there! Woo-hoo!!
Tara says
I’m quite new round here, but I just wanted to say I love your approach Jenny. I find your words and style friendly and unintimidating which is so helpful when you’re feeling a bit scared about starting a business. 🙂
I haven’t ‘officially’ launched my idea yet but I love what you are saying about not waiting til it’s perfect {could it be that because we feel so passionate about what we do – and want to share that with others – that by our nature we also want it all to be be perfect, for us AND them?}. I am so excited {and terrified!} to get started but I have to wait a couple of months for logistical reasons, including moving house. That sounds totally like an excuse! It really isn’t!
I am comforting myself with the fact that I can use this waiting period to fill out my ideas and plans {using lovely things like your Idea Flight Kit!} and although I’m pretty sure I’ll never feel 100% ready, I will be ready enough to Just Start after I’ve moved house. I’ll be saving this post to read again when that time comes! Thanks so much Jenny. 🙂
Jenny Shih says
Welcome, Tara! I’m glad you’re here and thanks for introducing yourself!
I’m glad you find it unintimidating–that’s part of my goal. After all, business doesn’t have to be so hard 🙂
Now although I’m all about moving forward, I’m also not crazy and think we should move forward no matter what. Moving houses seems very valid to me! But, as you put it, when you’re done, “ready enough to just start” seems like a great plan!
Thanks for joining us!
Christina Ambubuyog says
Hi Jenny!
Thank you for this post! It’s great confirmation to continue to move forward even when business is fuzzy. I’m an advocate of action even when you’re not ready. I feel that I’m in a time of transition and am starting to move towards where I want things to go, trusting in that and always knowing that even from there it can evolve even more and that is all so very exciting. I loved how you shared your own evolution, it’s very inspiring. Thank you!
Love, Christina
Jenny Shih says
You must be well-practiced at trust, Christina. It’s not easy to do, but I feel throug your words that you do it well! Thanks for being here and sharing your thoughts!
Aimee 's Simple Living for Busy People says
Well, hello, Miss Jenny — Just getting caught up on things here as I am somewhat busy these days (sole online business owner + family reunion in a new town makes it for exciting times!)…..and I wanted to thank you for a great post. I love your approach. I was struggling with this for a long time (as you know, but wanted to shed hope to anyone else reading this post!). But what I have found that as long as I am living the life that I want to live/makes me smile, the rest falls into place
Jenny Shih says
Always lovely to hear from you, Aimee! Thanks for providing another focus for us all. “When waiting for the perfect business, focus on living the life you want to live and the rest falls into place.” I’m positive others can relate. Thank you!
Linda Ursin says
I’ve been transitioning since May this year. After a call with Melissa Galt, I finally got something to take acction on. I’m now migrating my huge site over to WordPress, and in that I’m diving it into three + the blog and making one part a membership site.
Jenny Shih says
Step by step, Linda! Nice work keeping working toward making it all work!
Galina says
Hey Jenny,
I like the “80% approach”, “clarity comes with action” and using the word “experiment” when talking about your business.
It was pretty hard to start for me because I didn’t really know what exactly I was interested in doing. Then I just starting writing my ebook, little by little and I figured out what I wanted to do. I deleted the first draft and now working on a different (but related) topic. I learn so much about people, myself and marketing as I go. It’s such a rewarding experience.
Some people make it sound like it’s so easy to start your own online business. It’s absolutely not! You need to work hard identifying yourself in the first place to make your products/ business authentic. It’s a pretty long journey sometimes.
I actually love what I’m creating and I really hope my readers will too.
Best,
Galina
Jenny Shih says
Love that you kept plugging away, Galina, as you figured out what you wanted and didn’t want.
You’re right. It isn’t easy to start your own business. It can be really challenging, yet with the 80% approach, a determined and positive outlook, and some go-getter-ness, it can totally happen.
I love that you love what you’re creating. That always generates some good energy for future sales. Good luck with it!
Tabitha says
Interesting. I totally ‘get’ the 80% deal….in fact, the only guy I dated before my husband told me that I was ‘only 80% of what he was looking for.’ When I met my husband, he SAID he was ‘only looking for 80%!’ I knew he was ‘the one’ from then on! 🙂
ANYway, I am a perfectionist in some ways….and I know I tend to do a LOT of ideas and a little action instead of the other way around. It’s time for me to own what I have built and move forward!
So…I think I will get use to my current 80% and just be ok with tweaking it as I go. I love the tweaking part, actually! I think the main thing that held me back all this time was simple not wanting to look dumb by always changing my business. But…it’s what I do, and my people are glad for it, because it helps THEM move forward, too! 🙂
Great post, thank you (again!)!
Jenny Shih says
That’s funny about the boyfriend and your husband!
Honesty and truth is always better than perfection… so it’s okay to change and tell the truth about it. People love truth-tellers!
Good luck to you in moving forward at 80%!
Amy says
Hi Jenny!
LOVE this, especially the part about ‘Following the Breadcrumbs’! This is what I’ve been going through lately. I started doing hand-painted wedding invitations about 2.5 years ago by accident because a friend wanted me to make theirs. I enjoyed it because it allowed me to draw again, a childhood passion, work in watercolors and beautiful papers.
But when my business grew to a point where I was buried in work but still feeling that something is terribly off despite the fact that I was finally getting a lot of clients I knew I HAD to do something different. All along I’ve felt that I am ALMOST there, that I’m doing the right things but it’s not perfect because there were parts of it I REALLY didn’t enjoy.
So I course corrected, and now I am finally launching the revamped version of my business which is going to combine Creative Direction, Brand Design and Couture Art Invitations ALL in one umbrella. I’m fairly bursting with excitement waiting for the new website to be up. But I would never have arrived at this point if I didn’t just do the work anyway without waiting.
The most important thing I learned is that if you don’t feel something is right, take action. Don’t stop everything you’re doing, but wean it off gradually while building the perfect version!
Jenny Shih says
Thank you for sharing your FABULOUS story, Amy! What a perfect example of exactly what I was talking about.
I love how you started one place and slowly morphed your business as it suited you, and continue to do so. Bravo!
Great lesson, too: If you don’t feel something is right, take action. Don’t stop everything you’re doing, but wean it off gradually while building the perfect version!
Thank you so much for sharing this here, and congrats on your newly updated business!
Kristy Burge says
Hey Jenny,
Thanks for writing this article! You are completely right. I struggled so much when I first started my business because I was afraid of putting stuff out there that was imperfect. I felt that in order to create valuable content, that I needed a perfect website, a perfectly written article, that I needed to know it all. When I finally found the resources I needed to start laying the foundation in my business, I really focused on the planning (had to create a new website and everything from scratch). But soon I realized that just “planning” for my “perfect business” was not getting me anywhere once I had my target market defined and research done. So, I just started creating content and things are finally starting to move forward. I’m learning so much more in this process by doing…so thank you for the reminder that it’s ok to make changes 🙂 Nothing in our business plan has to be set in stone. We should always continue to check and adjust.
Jenny Shih says
Love that you see what you did and why it didn’t work AND how you’ve shifted and are taking action in a new way now. Nice job!
We can plan and research all day long, but action is what it takes. Woohooo to you for getting moving!
Rebecca Tracey says
I really feel like this happens a lot for coaches! Coaching can be so vague, that a lot of is go into it having an idea of how we want to help people, but we kind of get stuck in the “coach” trap.. when we all know, as Jenny would say, you can’t sell “coaching”.
I’m finally getting out of this trap and my business feels soooo great right now! Thanks Jenny, you’ve been a big part of this! x
Jenny Shih says
You’re a great example of moving… testing… trying… and keeping going, even when things aren’t perfectly clear, Becca. Love that about you!
Linda Ursin says
I’ve abandoned perfection; It’s an unachievable illusion.
Shana Yao says
Thank you so much Jenny! This post arrived JUST in time. In building my business, I have been hitting brick walls everywhere I turn. I think this is where coaches come in, but know I can’t quite afford that step yet. I had forgotten something Laura Roeder said in one of her classes – she bases everything she does on if it brings her closer or further from her goal. If it feels like it’s bringing her closer, she does that.
You’re advice is right on! I love your thinking and systematic approach to things. Thank you for your inspiration and advice. I’m excited to continue building my business and get things going!
Thank you Jenny. You’re such a great example of an authentic leader! xos
Wesley Wiley says
Great article! Perfection is just fear dressed up. And wow is it powerful. Thank you for sharing, love the story of just get started, get moving, and trust that the direction and clarity needed will come when it’s needed.