Getting Out Of R & D ...

This is an area I've struggled with extensively, and I know that many of my clients and fellow entrepreneurs have as well...

A lot of people get into a seemingly endless "loop" of buying book after book and course after course looking for the magic formula to accomplishing their latest goal (a new business or profit source, a home project or even a personal goal like weight loss).

Frankly, it is easier, and often more fun - "outfitting" ourselves for, learning about and dreaming of success in a particular area than it actually is doing the work that needs to be done in order to achieve success in that area.

Some also struggle with an intense fear of failure that keeps them stuck in the research and development loop. As long as their concept stays there, they haven't tried to execute and, therefore, can't possibly consider themselves a failure right?

I've seen it with people who decide to leave their long-time careers to start a home business. They often spend more time buying office furniture, computer equipment and all the tools they think they'll need than they do actually putting together prospect lists and starting their revenue generating activities like sales and marketing.

As with most everything, it's a balancing act. You NEVER want to go out and start something unprepared. If you start selling in business before you know that you have a good product that your audience will love, you're simply going to generate bad PR about your product. Or, as my dad used to say, "Nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising. It just speeds up the rate that the world finds out you're no good."

And, if I were to go out and try and run a marathon, when I haven't been training for it, not only will I not finish, but I could seriously die.

It IS wise to be prepared. However, don't allow your preparation to keep you from action! You will most likely start before you FEEL ready. That's okay. Whatever you are doing, you will get better at it AFTER you start actually doing it. So... start before you feel ready. Set goals with dates - including time for research and getting ready. Then, cut yourself off and get into action. Remember, anything worth doing is worth doing acceptably well - till you can do it with excellence.

You need to know when to stop. It's a bit of an addiction, and it will take counterintuitive action to overcome it. But the more you get into the habit of quickly moving forward, the more it will become easier and easier for you.

So if there's something you've been waiting to get started on -- till you have a little more information or till you've perfected your preparation, get out on the limb and just do it!

Start today!