Hey there, !

This is part 2 in a story about everyone's least favorite f-word, FAILURE, and my personal quest to share TONS of useful goodness for YOU born from my past failures.

This week we're talking tactics.

In my first business - the 'failed' one - there is particular ONE move that I made right out of the gate (and continued to make for way too long) that created the MOST work with the LEAST reward.

This one particular tactic/approach ate up the MOST time, money, and energy out of all of the things we did, and is something that today I make EVERY effort NOT to do.

It is something I catch myself WANTING to do ALL the time, and something I help clients notice they are doing on the regular.

It's something that we all think 'makes sense' to do...but that actually does WAY more harm than good when we actually do it.

It's something we think is 'responsible' and 'rational', so of course we do it... and create extra work, drama, and failure in the long run.

And I'd be willing to bet $100 you're doing it right now.

What is it?

The BIG move that we made in my first business that was hands down the MOST costly in every. single. way was trying to solve problems we didn't have.

What??

Seems like not a big deal.

Also...maybe it seems like something of course we didn't need to do, duh, because who needs to solve problems they don't have, right?

But the thing is, we ALL do this all the time, and we call it PLANNING.

And PLANNING is a totally acceptable thing.

We LOVE to plan. Heck, as a teacher, I was TRAINED to plan.

I was trained to think through the possible issues, the potential mistakes, and the things that could go right/wrong and plan for those eventualities.

So it made sense to apply that same level of planning and consideration to my new business, right?

But here's the problem.

(Laying it out here, to you, this way, you probably already see it. Do you see it?)

The problem is that you can only plan so far ahead before you hit the realm of VERY hypothetical, and then you're putting a LOT of time, money, and energy into things that may (but probably won't) happen.

This was our biggest time suck.

For example...

• We built a system to handle hundreds of subscribers effectively before we had ONE.

• We built a tool kit that would serve families at multiple levels, with kids of different ages, with resources they could use when they got stuck before we had families with multiple kids AND they got stuck.

• We created plans and how-to documents to use when we handed things off to other people before we'd made any money to pay those people, or even NEEDED those people.

We took the time, money, and energy to create (AMAZING) solutions BEFORE we spent the time, money, and energy to create the problem.

We solved POTENTIAL problems, but not ACTUAL ones (like getting our first clients...oooops).

And believe me when I tell you that this approach did NOT help us succeed, at all.

So, what's the take away for you?

First, planning is great...but if you are hiding behind it, trying to make the perfect plan and trying to solve problems that you don't have yet, it's hurting your business MORE than it is helping.

Stop and ask yourself: do I actually HAVE the problem I'm trying to solve?

If so, cool, plan away. And if not? Please just let it go. Cease and desist. Go do something else.

Second, finding creative solutions to future problems takes up a lot of time, money, and resources that you COULD be putting towards growing the business you have right now today.

Before you spend time, money, or energy, check in and ask: when and how does spending this resource help me?

It's OKAY to plan, and to spend money to make your future business easier. But not at the cost of your CURRENT business. If you don't deal with today's business first you won't need to the fun future solution you've come up with anyway.

Lastly, telling yourself you need to have it all figured out before you can share/start/sell/succeed is a TRAP.

It's not true. In fact, the OPPOSITE is true. Figuring it all out FIRST doesn't work. STARTING does.

So start. Trust me.

This is THE biggest change I've made between my two businesses... and the COST of success the second time around is WAY lower, with a WAY higher rate of return.

You can have that too.

Moral of the story? If it's not a problem, don't solve it.

Love,

Sara

PS. Have you signed up for the UNcomplicated Selling webinar on 4/13?

It's exactly what you need is selling feels way. too. complicated and you aren't sure why/how to make it 'work'. Come join the fun. I got you.

AND.

If you are tired tired tired of solving problems you don't have, of constantly REACTING in your business to whatever it throws at you and NEVER getting ahead of the curve, I can help.

Yesterday a client said to me 'I'm finally growing AHEAD of my business rather than behind it'.

You can have this too.

Wouldn't it feel AMAZING to be driving the bus that is your business, rather than running down the road behind it, waving your arms, and yelling for it to 'WAAAAIIIIIITTTT'?

You can be the driver. It's not complicated. And I can help you get comfy in the seat.

Book a free 1:1 consult to talk about coaching here.