What Are You Waiting For?

When starting a Virtual Assistant business, we tell ourselves that before we tell anyone about our business, we need to wait until everything is ready. But what we really mean is wait until everything is “perfect.”

We all have our own unique list of what “perfect” entails. Some are waiting for their website to be finished or to update their LinkedIn profile; others feel they need a new headshot or a business card. The list is varied, and it’s also endless.

And that’s the problem with the list. You’re caught in a never-ending loop of chatter in your head that’s got you running in circles.

It sounds something like this: I can’t do X because I need to do Y first, but I don’t know how to do Y, and I don’t want to bother anyone and ask for help, so I’ll do Z even though I know deep down inside, that Y will get me launched and Z is a waste of time (but makes me feel productive).

Sound familiar? I know – I’ve been there. But here’s what I’ve learned. It’s your job to break the cycle. No one can do this for you.

Here are my two favorite ways to take charge when the chatter takes over:

1. Get into action. First of all, give yourself some credit. You know what you need to do, you likely just don’t want to. Identify your next step, take a deep breath, and get started. If you’re reaching out to your network to tell them about your business, choose one person and tell them. Then take another breath and tell someone else. Keep going.
   
   Don’t wait until you feel motivated. That will be a long wait. Instead, imagine the results you’ll get once you’re finished and let that be your inspiration.
    
2. Keep your word to yourself. I used to break this rule all the time. I would tell myself I was going to do something that I knew would make my life better, and by the end of the day, I was filled with “reasons” (code for excuses) for why I couldn’t do it.
   
   Excuses like: I’m too tired, it can wait until tomorrow, it won’t make a difference whether or not I do it today, and a million other reasons.
   
   But what I finally realized was that more important than the task itself was how it felt to keep lying to myself and letting myself down. Once I started to take myself seriously and keep my word to myself, my confidence soared, the chatter quieted, and I felt happier.

This is not easy, but you can do it if you keep it simple. I want you to celebrate every time you take these steps toward building the business and the lifestyle you want. Learning how to do this takes practice – but I promise you it’s worth it.

If you’re not already a member of our Facebook Group, The Virtual Assistant Connection, and would like to join, here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com