The Real Reason You Keep 'Thinking About' Starting Your Business
And what finally made me stop thinking and start doing
You've been "thinking about" starting your business for how long now? A year? Two years? Three?
Maybe you've done more than think. Maybe you've taken the big scary leap—left your job, made the commitment, even registered your business name. But somehow, you're still stuck in this weird limbo between "I have a business" and "I'm actually running a business."
If this sounds familiar, you're definitely not alone. Eighteen months ago, I had left my nonprofit leadership role, sold my house, and officially committed to entrepreneurship. I had a vague idea of how to help people, but I was paralyzed by one simple thing: actually reaching out to potential clients.
I was a professional planner. What I wasn't? Someone willing to risk hearing "no."
So what changed? And more importantly, what's really keeping you stuck in the thinking phase?
The Real Reason Isn't What You Think
Here's what everyone assumes: You're not starting your business because you don't know HOW.
You need more research.
You need the perfect business plan.
You need to understand tax codes and liability insurance.
But that's not actually what's stopping you.
The real reason you keep "thinking about" your next move? You're terrified that you'll finally reach out... and they'll see right through you.
Let me get more specific. You're afraid that:
Potential clients will immediately know you're new at this
You'll sound unprofessional or desperate
They'll wonder why they should hire you instead of someone "established"
You'll be rejected and it will confirm that you made a terrible mistake
And underneath all of that? You're scared that maybe, just maybe, you're not as qualified as you thought you were. (Imposter syndrome is strong!)
The Story I Told Myself
I had already made the big leap. I'd left my nonprofit leadership role, sold our house, and committed to building something of my own. You'd think the hardest part was over, right?
Wrong.
I found myself paralyzed by the "small" stuff. I'd see perfect opportunities—people posting about needing exactly what I offered—and I'd freeze.
I told myself things like:
"I need to practice my pitch more first"
"I should wait until I have a better website"
"Maybe I need one more certification to sound credible"
"I don't want to seem desperate or pushy"
All seemingly reasonable concerns, right? Except here's what I realize now: I wasn't being cautious. I was hiding.
I was hiding behind the safety of preparation. Because as long as I was getting ready to reach out, I couldn't be rejected. My business couldn't fail if I never actually tried to get clients.
The problem? It also couldn't succeed.
The Moment Everything Changed
The plan was executed. I had resigned from my leadership role at a nonprofit organization. The house was sold. What was left of our belongings was in storage. I was left with my thoughts and a vague idea of how to start a business.
I saw a post on Facebook for someone looking to "help me post on Facebook." That was exactly what I wanted to see and it filled me with fear. What if I reached out and she said no thank you? What if she saw that I was new? What if [insert 1000 other thoughts]?
A friend challenged my thinking and said, 'can't hurt' and she was right. With that support, I reached out and got that first client!
Not because I had everything figured out. Not because I'd completed my business plan. Not because I felt ready.
I did it because I finally understood that "thinking about it" wasn't protecting me from anything—it was just another form of failure. A quieter one.
What "Thinking" Is Really Costing You
While you've been perfecting your approach, here's what's been happening:
Someone else reached out to those perfect clients you bookmarked. Those Facebook posts, LinkedIn opportunities, networking connections—they found someone else who was willing to simply say "I can help."
Your confidence is eroding. Every opportunity you don't pursue is another data point confirming the story that you're not ready, not qualified, not enough.
Perfect opportunities are passing you by. That person who posted exactly what you do? They've already hired someone. That networking contact who mentioned needing help? They've moved on.
Your business is becoming a expensive hobby. You have the business license, maybe even the website, but without clients, you're just someone who's really committed to thinking about having a business.
And that's the real cost—not failure, but the slow realization that you're letting fear disguise itself as preparation.
The Permission You've Been Waiting For
Here's what I wish someone had told me eighteen months ago:
You don't start a business because you feel ready. You feel ready because you start a business.
Your corporate experience IS enough. Your half-formed idea IS enough. Your imperfect plan IS enough.
You know more than you think you do. You're more qualified than you believe. And the market needs what you have to offer—not someday, not when you're "ready," but right now.
The clients you're meant to serve? They're not looking for perfect. They're looking for someone who understands their problems and can help solve them. That someone is you.
How to Stop Thinking and Start Doing
If you're tired of being a professional thinker and ready to become an actual business owner, here's where to start:
1. Set a deadline. Not for launching your perfect business, but for making one imperfect decision. Register your business name. Set up a simple website. Take one concrete step within the next two weeks.
2. Tell someone. Not for their permission, but for accountability. Say out loud: "I'm starting my business." Feel how good that sounds.
3. Start before you're ready. Because here's the secret: nobody is ever really ready. The successful people just started anyway.
4. Get support. This is the big one. You don't have to figure it all out alone. Whether it's a business coach, a mentorship program, or even just a friend who believes in you—get people in your corner who will help you move from thinking to doing.
Your Thinking Days Are Over
Eighteen months ago, I was you. Successful in my nonprofit leadership role, but dreaming of something more. Terrified of rejection, but even more terrified of regret.
The difference between then and now isn't that I became braver or smarter or more qualified. The difference is that I finally stopped thinking and started doing.
Your business is waiting for you. Not the perfect version you've been planning in your head, but the real, imperfect, beautifully messy version that actually exists in the world.
The question isn't whether you're ready to start your business.
The question is: Are you ready to stop thinking about it?
Ready to turn your "someday" business into your "right now" reality? Download my free Business Startup Checklist and take the first step from dreaming to doing. Or if you're ready for someone to guide you through the entire process, let's talk about Dream-to-Done—the step-by-step experience I wish I'd had when I was stuck in the thinking phase.
