It's November, and a lot of people tell me they'll start in January. I've heard it in quite a few conversations lately, and some of you probably had the same thought back in October, when the year already felt almost over. That is a whole quarter of the year spent leaning back and thinking it's too late to do anything.
I get it! The end of the year is busy, and a clean slate in January feels easier. But the year is not over yet; we still have two months, and this episode of the Soul & Strategy podcast is my invitation to use them ✨
Listen to the full episode above or keep reading for how to take your next step now, even when you don't feel ready to launch.
Ask yourself what you're really waiting for
Wherever you are with your goal for this year, it doesn't matter how far along you are. Maybe you wanted to start something at the beginning of the year, maybe you've taken the first steps, maybe you've ticked it off already or haven't started at all. What I notice is that many people think they need to complete the entire project before it counts, and that belief makes December look like a write-off.
I'm not asking you to push yourself into anything that doesn't feel aligned. If you've been wanting to launch a workshop and December truly isn't the time, that's okay. What I do invite you to look at is why you're waiting for January, and why you're waiting for something external to change before you take a step. There is never a right time, and sometimes the honest answer is that you feel scared and you're procrastinating, which is very normal.
We look for outside reasons: I don't have time, I don't have the money, I just started a new job, I just moved or I'm about to, it's school holidays, it's winter and nobody feels motivated. Some of these may be true for you in this busy season. Check each one and see whether it's really true or whether it's an excuse that lets you stay in your comfort zone a little longer, because that's a story we can feel comfortable telling ourselves.
You can take steps without launching
The busy season brings me to the second thing, which is that you don't need to launch right now to move towards your vision. Take my own goal for this year, which was to launch this podcast. Before the first episode, there was the tech setup, planning the episodes, creating the cover, deciding on the name, choosing the intro music. If I hadn't started yet, I could say I'd wait until January, or I could ask what I can do right now so that I'm all set up when I want to launch.
That second question is the one I'd love you to ask. If you want your first one-on-one coaching client, or you want to start your coaching business and now isn't the moment, you can already create the package and open the Instagram account in the back end. Once you start posting, you gather that learning just by doing the thing. It also helps to redefine what starting means.
Starting is just taking the first step, or the next one, and it doesn't need a perfect plan. That could be telling someone you're about to launch something, or getting photos taken by a friend or your partner that you can post later.
If you suspect the real reason you're holding back is fear, I talk about why we procrastinate on our soul-led business in episode 2, and the full episode above goes further into this too.
Plan backwards so January doesn't slip away
The end of the year gets busier and busier, and the very beginning of January is normally slow, because we're just moving out of Christmas and the new year hype. It's easy to take things slowly, and by the time you want to start, it's already the end of January and the first month feels missed.
The way around that is to decide now when you want to launch in January, when you want to announce something, when you want to host your first workshop or start working with people. Once you have that clarity, you can work backwards and set yourself up for success. I'm travelling for two weeks in December, so I know that what I want to launch in January has to be prepared before I go, and then I don't feel rushed and stressed when I come back.
Confidence comes from taking action
If you've listened to my podcast before, you've heard me say that confidence comes through taking action. When you procrastinate on the thing you want to do, you tell yourself that you don't fully trust yourself, and you don't give yourself the permission to learn and build that confidence. You won't be ready just by waiting, because the feeling of being ready is an illusion. There will always be some nerves next to the excitement and that’s okay!
When I taught my first class, had my first coaching client and spoke on a stage, I wasn't ready for any of them. I was so nervous that I felt sick the day before, and I knew I had to do it anyway. I wouldn't be ready to teach if I never taught, and I wouldn't be a good coach without my first paid client; if I had stayed in the comfort of coaching people I knew for free, I wouldn't have built that confidence. Every time we step out of our comfort zone, it grows.
My first talking head video on Instagram felt uncomfortable and weird. I've been doing it for years now; I post videos without makeup, and I don't think about it much or care what people comment. That became my comfort zone, and these days what scares me is standing on a stage in front of real people, because I'm so used to being behind a camera where I can re-record. When I was asked recently to speak about intuition at a female empowerment event, I was so, so nervous, even in the most supportive environment. I said yes straight away, because I knew that if I kept asking myself whether I was ready or needed more time, I would say no and miss the opportunity. It will be easier next time, because now I've done it.
This is also why I'd love you not to let your mind talk you out of it by telling you that you need more certification or more experience. You already have what you need to take the next small step. Make the learnings, and let a few things flop, because that's part of it. I've had so many failures in my business, and the more things flop, the easier it gets, because I've seen that it's not the end of the world. Sometimes something doesn't work and the next thing takes off.
Your gifts are needed
There's one more reason I'd love you to start. What you want to create and share also enriches the world, and your gifts, your idea and your vision are needed. If you don't follow your calling, you take something away from the people who need what you have to offer.
Think of a workshop or a course you attended where you thought: wow, this was amazing. What if that person had never started, or had procrastinated for years, or had talked herself out of it? Maybe that person is you!
One thing you can do today
So what's one thing you can do today? Write yourself a list of small steps for the rest of the year and then take them. It's okay to go slowly when it gets busy, as long as you keep the momentum going, so that you're not starting from zero next year and pushing it out and out and out.
You still have so much time in this year, even if it doesn't feel like it, so create little pockets for it. When January comes, your future self will thank you for the work you've already done.
Key takeaways
The year isn't over; you still have two months to move towards your vision.
Ask whether your reason for waiting is really true or an excuse that keeps you in your comfort zone.
You don't need to launch now, and starting is just taking the first or next step.
Plan backwards from your January launch date, so the slow start to the year doesn't cost you the first month.
Confidence comes from action, and your comfort zone grows every time you take a step you're nervous about.
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Listen to the full episode above for the complete conversation, and follow the Soul & Strategy podcast so you don't miss what's next. And if you've enjoyed this post or podcast episode, leave a review and share it with someone who would love it!
With love,
Sabine 🤍
