Why you haven't started your soul-led business yet (it's not what you think)

Be honest with me for a second. How many times have you redesigned your logo, rebuilt your Canva templates, or reorganised your content calendar this month, while the workshop, the Instagram account, or the first client offer is still sitting untouched?

If that sounds a little too familiar, I want you to know something first: this isn't a lack of discipline. It isn't because you don't have a plan. And it definitely isn't because you're lazy.

Listen to episode 2 of Soul & Strategy above, where I break down what's actually happening underneath your procrastination and what to do about it, or keep reading below. Procrastination is one of the things I work through with almost every single client, so I promise you're not the only one stuck here.

The productive procrastination trap

Here's the thing about procrastination when you're building a soul-led business. It rarely looks like scrolling on the couch doing nothing. It looks like busy.

Redesigning your logo. Rebuilding your templates. Watching one more course. All of it feels productive. None of it actually moves you toward launching the workshop or signing the client.

That's the trap. You stay busy enough to feel okay, without ever getting close to the thing that actually scares you.

Why we procrastinate on the things that matter most

Procrastination isn't a character flaw; it's a safety mechanism. If you're starting something new, whether that's a podcast, a workshop, or your first Instagram post as a coach, of course it feels uncomfortable. There's no proof yet that it will work.

Everything that feels comfortable is something you've already done before. Everything new feels scary by default, that's just how it works. But growing your business and following your calling requires doing things you haven't done before.

So instead of asking “Why can't I just start?”, I want you to ask something different: what am I actually afraid will happen if I do this?

• What do you think will happen if you post that face-to-camera video instead of hiding behind a static graphic?

• What do you think will happen if you run your first workshop?

• Do you believe no one will come? That you won't be good enough? That you won't know what to say?

That's the layer we actually need to work with.

Is the fear even true?

Once you've named the fear, ask yourself honestly: can I say with absolute certainty that this will happen?

Can you know, with 100% certainty, that no one will show up to your workshop? That you'll disappoint your first client? You can't. None of us can. And that uncertainty cuts both ways; it also means you can't know it won't work out either.

So here's the two-part exercise I walk my clients through:

1. What can you do now to reduce the chance of the worst-case scenario happening? If your fear is that no one shows up to your workshop, lean into your marketing, invite a few friends, and make sure some people are confirmed.

2. If the worst case happens anyway, what would you actually do? If no one signs up, maybe you use that time to reflect on what to adjust next time. Maybe you run the cacao ceremony just for yourself. I've had workshops where nobody booked and yoga classes where nobody showed up. It wasn't the end of the world; it was just information.

It's okay to be a beginner

I'm recording this podcast episode as literally my second real episode. I'm a beginner at this too, and in a year I'll probably look back and cringe a little! But we have to move through the beginning stage to get anywhere else.

If you don't take the step forward, ask yourself where you'll be in six months or a year. Most likely, exactly where you are now. Still daydreaming. Still waiting to feel ready. The best time to start is always now, because in a year you'll wish you had started a year ago.

Be kind to the scared part of you

I want to gently push back on the idea that you need to force yourself through fear with sheer willpower. Instead, try treating that scared part of you the way you'd treat a frightened child.

You wouldn't yell at a scared child to just get over it. You'd say something like, it's okay, I see that you're scared, we're doing something new, and that's normal. I know this is our path. We're going to try, and if it doesn't work, we're okay.

That fear won't ever fully disappear, by the way. Even once you sign your first client, a new fear shows up (how do I make this sustainable, should I raise my prices). The goal isn't to eliminate fear. It's to stop letting it drive.

More strategy isn't always the answer

Here's a myth I want to bust. If procrastination or overwhelm has you stuck, the instinct is often I just need a clearer plan, another course, another guide, another roadmap.

But we're living in a time with more information available than we could ever need. Most likely, you already know what to do next. The gap usually isn't information. It's the fear underneath it. Downloading another e-book won't make the fear of being visible, of charging money, or of being judged go away.

If you have the best strategy in the world but you're still internally afraid of being seen or of asking for money, the strategy won't work on its own. That's why the internal foundations have to come first, or at least alongside the strategy, not after it.

If this is where you're stuck right now

If this episode named something you've been feeling but couldn't quite put into words, that internal block underneath the procrastination is exactly the kind of thing I work through with my clients inside 1:1 Soul Business coaching, alongside the practical strategy to actually build and launch your business.

If you want support to take action on building your business, book a free Soul Business Start-Up Session with me. We'll look at what's currently blocking you and what moving forward could actually look like for you ✨

Also come say hi on Instagram @sabinelehnhardt, I'd love to hear which part of the story resonated most with you.

With love,

Sabine 🤍