Written by: Amelia Harshfield, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
So you have this idea. It may solve a problem. It may create new opportunities for yourself, your team as you grow, and those around you. The potential can be really exciting and fun to envision. Much like that attractive person you’ve clicked with, you may almost be drooling over the possibilities of it.
However, there are lots of reasons you may not be moving forward with your idea. There are risks with embarking on a new venture. You might be unsure how long it will take to turn a profit. You may not fully understand all the steps to get there. There are plenty of unknowns associated with new ideas. Then you add in your internal fears about the business failing, losing money, and letting others down. It can make sense why you are not acting on it.
Many people spend their lives saying they should have explored the idea when they were younger. However, there are certain things you can do to make the jump less scary while exploring the idea a little more. This can stop you from wondering about your idea for months, years, or even decades. This can stop you from regretting not pursuing the idea later. Regret is not your friend. You can start exploring now with four simple steps.
The first thing you can do is to gather more information about the idea. A client I was working with wanted to open an ice cream truck. She dreamed of helping her children problem-solve while getting a little extra cash on the side. However, she was stuck on the cost of starting the project. She was terrified of making another bad investment. I realized that she did not have enough information to decide if she wanted to move forward or not. She needed to learn more about the costs associated with buying the truck, maintenance, and storage of the truck, ice cream wholesale prices, the business license, and other fees. She also could learn how long the licensing would take to acquire which would help figure out a time frame. She could learn where she could sell her ice cream and how often. She was missing information was causing her to stay stuck on the decision. She couldn’t move on without gathering more information to see if it was a good fit or not.
Now if you’ve gathered a decent amount of information and are still interested, the second step is to do small tests of the project. The trick is to break the idea down so the jump is not so terrifying. For example, if you are interested in starting a restaurant, you could try starting a food truck first. There are far fewer expenses and liabilities if you go this route. It may not be the sexiest option, but many restaurants have been successful after they’ve been a food truck first. It’s far less risky than just opening a restaurant if you are new to the restaurant industry.
The third step in exploring your idea is to understand that you can generate plenty of ideas. Just because the one you have sounds great, it does not mean it is the right one for you. It may be outside of your capabilities. It may not be aligned with your branding. You may not enjoy the business when you get into it. Much like dating, the exciting person in front of you may not be the best long-term option. Learning how to be unattached to your idea can prevent you from staying with it too long.
The fourth step is to understand what fears, doubts, and limiting beliefs you are projecting onto your idea. If you are afraid you are not good enough, moving forward with your idea will be difficult. Being successful will be even more challenging because you will likely be deciphering mistakes and things going wrong as them meaning something about you. The same goes for dating. The healthier you are as a partner, the more likely you will attract a fulfilling relationship. So keep an eye on your internal messages associated with starting this project. The more you are out of your way, the easier it will be to have the right idea succeed.
Moving forward with ideas can be terrifying. Many people stay stuck with their idea for years and never make any progress with it. I’ve helped plenty of clients with this process and have done this many times myself. The more information you have the easier it will be to move forward with it or decide to drop it. The more you can break the idea down and the less you are putting your fears, doubts, and unhelpful beliefs into the idea the more likely you will be to succeed. If you want help with moving forward with your idea(s), contact me on my website. I’ve done this many times and know ways to shorten your process. You and your idea deserve the right help exploring whether it is right for you or not.
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Amelia Harshfield, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Amelia Harshfield is fascinated and motivated by what impact makers can achieve as they become more resilient. With a solid education and a master’s degree in economics, she has been creating passive income in Real Estate investing for over 5 years. Her key foundational work is The Overcoming Anxiety Method™, a powerful 4-step formula for playing a bigger game without being crushed by fear. This process is paramount to finding an authentic version of freedom and wealth. Mentoring and educating high-level operators is her passion, her work has been featured in magazines, podcasts, conferences, and she has been a trainer on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island.
