Many people wait years before starting a business, usually because something is holding them back.
When I launched my first business at 24, I had plenty of reasons to think I wasn’t ready. In the end, I had to challenge my own self-doubt to finally take the leap.
Some blockers are psychological, like fear of failure or worrying about what others will think. Others are practical: not knowing what to sell, how to find customers, or how to build a sales funnel.
This post will help you push past some of those barriers and find the motivation to get started.
Find the Motivation to Start a Business by Understanding Your Abilities
The most common excuse I hear is: “I’m not ready.” But life rarely waits until you are.
People get promotions without knowing every part of the job. Parents raise kids without ever feeling 100% prepared. Starting a business is no different.
You might not know what kind of business you can start. But even that has a simple fix: check out a list of small business ideas! With so many free tools online, learning new skills and testing ideas has never been easier.
Here are a few ways to feel more confident in your abilities:
Educate Yourself
This one’s broad on purpose—there are tons of ways to learn. You can go the traditional route and enroll in classes, or you can self-teach through books and online resources.
Try Googling “MBA reading list” and you’ll find dozens of the same books taught in $30K-a-year programs.
Editor’s note: As of March 2023, I’ve started working through Josh Kaufman’s list of 99 books for the ‘personal MBA.’
Sure, a classroom environment has its perks. But learning by doing is just as powerful. That’s why I’m also enrolled in the Google Project Management Certificate Program on Coursera—it lets me apply skills directly to my business and gives me something solid for my resume.
Identify Your Weaknesses and Strengths
Being real with yourself is hard, but necessary. Self-awareness is what helps you prioritize smartly.
Your business isn’t about you—it’s about the value you bring to others and the systems you use to deliver it.
Addressing Business Weaknesses
Figure out whether it’s worth fixing a weakness yourself or finding a workaround.
Ask yourself:
- How much time is this task taking?
- Is it keeping me from higher-value work?
- Would it be smarter to delegate or invest in learning this skill?
Thinking like a CEO means evaluating return on effort, not just cost. Maybe you de-prioritize a weak spot in favor of leaning into a strength. Maybe you upskill. Or maybe you outsource to someone who can do it faster and better.
Capitalizing on Business Strengths
If you’re already good at something, look for ways to do it faster or more efficiently. That frees up time for higher-volume or more strategic work.
Just keep in mind: being good at a task doesn’t mean you have to do it forever. For example, if you’re great at social media but it’s eating up hours without producing revenue, it might be time to automate or delegate.
Keep revenue-generating tasks front and center. Don’t let “busy work” distract you from growth.
Find the Motivation to Start a Business for the First Time by Changing Your Mindset
As I sit here editing this post at 6:30 a.m., a quote pops up from my browser extension:
“Everybody comes to a point in their life when they want to quit, but it’s what you do at that moment that determines who you are.” —David Goggins
People often assume success means you never struggle. But behind every success story is a pile of failures and near-quit moments.
Success comes from pushing through anyway. I’ve used my own challenges as fuel more times than I can count.
Reframe your obstacles as problems you can solve:
- Too young? Find a mentor.
- Not enough money? Start a side hustle.
- No time? Use your lunch break. Wake up earlier. Delegate smartly.
Do the Math
Instead of asking what it costs to start, ask what it’ll cost you not to.
Take blogging as an example. Most posts take 8 months to rank on page one of Google. If it takes 100 posts to see real traffic and you only write two a month, how many years will it take to get there?
If this idea motivates you, check out my post: Don’t wait for opportunity, create it!
Look for Other Motivated People
You become like the people you spend time with. If your friends only want to party, staying focused gets hard.
My fiancé and I used to spend our weekends at cafes working on side projects. It became our routine and turned work into something we wanted to do.
“Success is the sum of small habits, repeated day in and day out.” —Robert Collier
Take Action
When I quit my job to travel the world, it wasn’t because I had everything figured out. It was because I was sick of hearing myself complain.
Once I made the decision, I had to make it work. (Side note: I don’t recommend quitting cold turkey unless you have savings or a steady side hustle.)
Following a simple checklist or guide can keep you moving. If you’re looking for one, Illias from Engineer Seeking FIRE has a helpful step-by-step post: How to Start and Grow Your Online Business.
Find the Motivation to Start a Business by Taking Practical Steps
Once your mindset is in place, build a foundation:
- Create a business plan.
- Make a calendar of prioritized tasks.
- List tools you’ll need and estimate their costs.
- Spend a month prepping before your launch.
- Understand your revenue model: How many sales to break even? To profit? To go full-time?
- Look for ways to increase your revenue per customer: upsells, bundles, discounts for prepayment, etc.
Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day
The hardest part of starting a business is the lag time before you feel successful.
You might land a few early wins—a first client, a small sale—but big wins take time. And that can be tough in a world of instant results.
That’s why you need a plan, a clear path, and a mindset that celebrates small wins.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to start.
You’ve got to rise and grind.
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