The Perfect Moment will Never Come: A Story of Starting Before You're Ready

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I'll start with this next month"? Recently, I had a powerful conversation with one of our program participants, that beautifully illustrated why waiting for the perfect moment often holds us back from achieving our dreams.

When "Later" Becomes a Barrier to Growth

She runs a thriving herbal wellness business in Ghana. During our mentoring session, she shared her plans to start tracking her finances properly – but not until April. "I have things planned for the year," she explained. "I was hoping to go more into my finances, put it in Excel... in April."

This moment struck me because it reflects a common pattern I see in many entrepreneurs: waiting for the "right time" to start something important.

The Hidden Cost of Waiting

Here's the reality I shared with her: If tomorrow an investor walked through her door and asked about her financial tracking, saying "I'll start in April" wouldn't cut it. Every day we wait to implement crucial business practices is a day of insights lost, opportunities missed, and growth delayed.

Breaking Through the Perfection Barrier

What's fascinating about her story is that she already demonstrates incredible capability in other areas. She writes compelling LinkedIn posts, manages her business effectively, and has built a loyal customer base. The only thing holding her back from starting financial tracking wasn't ability – it was mindset.

Proven Techniques to Start Today

Let me share some powerful techniques that have helped entrepreneurs like her move from planning to action:

1. The Two-Minute Rule

Start with something so small it feels ridiculous. If you want to begin financial tracking, spend just two minutes today creating a simple spreadsheet with two columns: Income and Expenses. That's it. Tomorrow, you can add one entry.

2. The Bridge Method

Create a bridge between what you're already doing and what you want to start:

• Already writing daily sales in a notebook? Transfer just one week's worth to Excel every Sunday

• Want to start social media? Begin by taking one photo of your work each day, even if you don't post it

• Planning to track inventory? Start with your top 3 products only

3. The Parallel Progress Technique

Instead of doing one thing perfectly, progress on multiple fronts imperfectly:

• Monday: 15 minutes on financial tracking

• Wednesday: 15 minutes on social media content

• Friday: 15 minutes on inventory management

4. The Accountability Anchor

Share your starting date with someone. She shared hers with me: "Trust me, I will, and I'm going to impress you." This simple commitment often provides the push we need to begin.

5. The Documentation Sprint

For the first 5 minutes of your day:

• Document one process you already do

• Take one photo of your work

• Record one number about your business These small actions compound into valuable business intelligence.

From Insight to Action

By the end of our conversation, She had a breakthrough. "I think I just have to start with Excel... I'll check the internet, see all the help I need, and then just start right away."

This shift from "I'll wait until April" to "I'll start today" is exactly what successful entrepreneurship looks like in action.

The Success Formula

Remember this simple formula:

• Tiny Start + Daily Consistency > Perfect Plan + Waiting

• 15 minutes daily > 2 hours once a month

• Imperfect action > Perfect inaction

Your Turn to Start

What are you waiting to begin? Whether it's:

• Financial tracking

• Social media presence

• Content creation

• Business documentation

• Market research

Remember: The perfect moment isn't coming. The best moment to start is now, even if you start small.

Start today. Start messy. Start imperfect. But most importantly – just start.

Want to share what you're finally starting? Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know. Your story might inspire others to begin their own journey.

Cheers

Sitan