Spinning. Sweating. Going nowhere fast.
That was me. On my bike this morning, and also when I was trying to launch my business.
Before I launched my tech-driven ad agency many moons ago, I spent months going in circles.
Tinkering with the business model.
Refining the offer.
Rewriting the pitch deck.
Then tweaking it again, just in case.
I told myself I was planning.
Looking back, I wasn’t just trying to get it right. I was stalling.
And underneath the spreadsheets and strategy docs, I was also wrestling with:
• “Can I really do this?”
• “I need to figure every detail out before I start.”
• “What if I fail… in public?”
• Wildly excited one minute. Certain I have no business doing this the next.
I even delayed my move from the UK to South Africa (which was a key part of the plan), because I felt like I needed just a few more weeks to “refine things.”
Eventually my hand was forced: either get on the plane, or let the ticket expire.
So I went.
And when I got to Cape Town, reality set in. I had to pay the rent and feed the dogs, so I launched the business regardless of my hesitation.
It was the best thing that could’ve happened.
Because momentum beats perfection every time.
It forced me to:
• Get the offer out to clients
• Rent an office
• Hire people
• Do a press launch
• Pitch to intermediaries
• Test a real offer with real clients
Was it perfect? No.
Did it move? Heck yes.
And it kicked off one of the most meaningful, fruitful chapters of my life and career.
What I learned:
• Clarity comes from movement, not just thought
• Perfection can be procrastination in disguise
• No one has it all figured out before they start. And those who say they do are probably bluffing
• Fear doesn’t go away when you launch. But confidence grows when you act in spite of it
Now, when I work with leaders at this early stage of a journey, I help them untangle the same inner swirl.
This is where your next career step or new business idea is born. But so are your doubts.
And this is where the journey begins.
The questions we often explore are:
→ What’s the cost of waiting for the “perfect time”?
→ What’s one small step you could run this week to validate your idea?
→ What are you protecting yourself from by not starting?
→ If you did launch next week, what’s the worst that could happen? And what’s the best?
→ How would you advise a friend in your position right now?
Real progress rarely comes from spinning your wheels — unless it’s on a bike.