5 reasons you’re not making progress (on your side-hustle etc)
I’ve been running an online accountability program for about six months now.
And while that may not be a long time, I’m already starting to see patterns in the way people work.
The things they do that move them forward (or not).
And sometimes the solutions are easier than we think.
It’s not that your idea is bad… or you don’t have enough self-discipline… or that this “entrepreneurship thing” isn’t for you.
No.
It might be much easier than that.
Something very fix-able.
So, in no particular order, here are 5 reasons you might not be making progress on your project or side-hustle:
1. You’re hiding behind admin tasks.
First thing to point out: this is so, so easy to do.
In fact, that’s part of the problem:
Admin tasks are easy!
They make us feel like we’re getting a lot done.
We’re whizzing through our to-do list, checking tasks off:
Look how productive I’m being! Look at how I’m moving my business forward!
And yet…
Yet.
While admin tasks are helpful, they usually aren’t the main thing that moves us forward.
Think of it like prep before you cook a meal.
You can wash down the countertop 30 times (“Look at it sparkle!”), but if you never actually put anything in the pan and cook it, you’re not gonna make anything at all.
So beware of the Lure of Admin Tasks.
They seem important (they like to think they’re important) — but they’re not.
So the next time you find yourself working for long periods of time on your business cards, website, or expenses… ask yourself if this is really going to move you forward, right now.
What task could you do as well as that admin task? Maybe a sales task?
How quickly can you get that admin task out the way, so you have time for other things?
Can someone else help you with the admin task so it’s not taking up all your time?
Repeat after me:
Admin tasks make us feel like we’re getting lots done.
But they’re really a distraction from the important stuff we should be doing.
2. You’re shying away from scary tasks
Let’s be honest here.
Most people don’t like sales conversations.
So they don’t do them.
But this is one thing that will move your business forward.
Now, don’t worry if you hate the idea of pushy sales conversations — I do too.
I hate the word “sales”.
But all we’re doing is letting people know about what you do.
You can do that, right?
You can explain in a few sentences (articulately, or inarticulately — it doesn’t matter, as you’ll improve with time) what you do, can’t you?
So all we mean by sales is making sure people know what you do.
Do your friends know that you do graphic design and are looking for new clients?
Does your family know that that personal fitness thing you do isn’t a hobby any more, and is actually a business?
Does your co-working space know that you love to do marketing and are hoping to move into that field?
Most of the time we don’t move forward because there’s a task we know we should be doing deep down, but we’re trying to ignore it.
So be brave.
Ask yourself what you really need to be doing.
(It might not be sales. It might be something else for you.)
And then… go do it!
Slowly.
And give yourself credit every time you do it.
Keep stretching that muscle.
Because telling that first person you’ve just started as a VA?
Scary as hell.
Telling the fiftieth person?
A breeze!
So… what task should you be doing, really?
- Meeting more people in your industry?
- Talking to more people (online, or in person) about what you do?
- Having sales conversations with people who would truly move your business along, but you’re too scared to approach them?
Do the tasks you’re hiding from.
3. You’ve given yourself too many tasks, so you’re not getting anything done.
The classic.
I still struggle with this one.
I write down all the tasks I want to do for my business, and before I’m halfway through the list, I can feel the overwhelm building up.
Feel panic rising.
And the desire to take a nap getting stronger and stronger ;)
So here’s what you can do instead:
Do one task a day.
Only one.
But — I can hear you asking — surely one task won’t move me forward?
Surely that won’t do anything?
But the funny thing is that it will.
Cause when we try to do 10 tasks a day, we quickly get overwhelmed… and give up.
When we do one task a day, we move ourselves forward — without the overwhelm.
Try it and see.
I bet you still get through that task list :)
My example:
In my accountability program, I have my participants do three tasks a week (minimum).
Three tasks isn’t much, right?
But here’s the thing: three tasks will move you forward.
Because getting things done spurs you on… you build momentum.
One task leads to another task, which leads to another.
So you can set yourself 20 tasks a day, and feel stressed and overwhelmed…
Or you can do three tasks a week (or one a day — whichever you prefer) and feel relaxed and make steady progress, day by day.
This is not a sprint.
It’s a marathon.
So slow and steady, my friend… slow and steady.
4. Believing you have to have it all figured out before you start.
Don’t get me wrong — I used to work as an events planner.
I know the value of planning.
But we can take it too far sometimes.
We use it as an excuse:
I don’t have a five-year plan mapped out, and a financial forecast for the next six months, or a marketing plan for the next few years… so I can’t do anything before I get clear on these.
Now — don’t get me wrong.
If you’re looking for grants or funding for your business or project, of course you’ll need stats like these.
But if not, don’t let the idea of “I must have everything figured out before I start” stop you moving forward.
The path will become apparent as you take action and make progress.
One step forward will show you the next step.
One example we use in life coaching is a drive from San Francisco to New York at night:
You can’t see the whole journey ahead of you.
You can only see a little way ahead of you in the headlights.
But that doesn’t matter.
You’ll get there anyway — even if you can’t see the whole route from SF to NY when you set off.
Because as you move forward, the next portion of road becomes clear.
It’s the same for your side-hustle or project.
Don’t wait to have it all figured out before you start — or you’ll likely never start.
5. You’re waiting for it to be perfect.
Here’s the thing: it will likely never be perfect.
Not at the start, anyway.
You’ll probably go through a few iterations before you get to where you want to be.
So forget “perfect”.
For now, make your work “good enough”.
Your website doesn’t have to be perfect for people to find it useful.
Your sales page doesn’t have to be perfect for people to buy or express interest in your work.
That instagram post doesn’t have to be perfect to get likes — just get it out there!
Test things out.
You can tweak it afterwards, if you need to.
Cause if you wait for the “perfect” piece of work, you’ll likely still be there in five years’ time….
Perfecting, and worrying, and not going anywhere.
Get it done, well enough.
Get it out there.
Tweak if you need to.
And move on :)
…
So there we go — five reasons you might not be moving forward.
Do any of them relate to you?
Be honest.
Which one do you need to focus on?
1. Hiding behind admin tasks.
2. Shying away from scary tasks
3. Too many tasks so you’re not getting anything done.
4. Thinking you need to have it all figured out before you start.
5. Wanting everything to be perfect.
Because if you can crack the above, you’re well on the way to making progress bit by bit, seeing your confidence grow, and actually doing the things you want to do.
The things that are important to you.
And what could be better than that?
(Note: there is nothing wrong with doing the 5 things above.
They’re totally natural!
But see how you can learn from them, and overcome them.)
Let me know how you get on in the comments!
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