The Power of Writing It Down
Five years ago, I did a simple journaling exercise after watching a Facebook coaching video. I wrote about my perfect day. In that vision, I saw myself in a "sunny workshop on the farm with white walls and flowers and plants." I imagined "working for myself with plenty of quiet time, balanced with lots of networking, particularly with women." I wrote about my dream clients: "women who need a little direction, who feel lost and want to reconnect with themselves and rediscover their purpose."
At the time, I had left teaching but hadn't yet trained as a coach. But something in me already knew—I could see a future where I worked for myself, supporting women. I even wrote, "My coaching business is having a positive impact on me and my clients, and there is a happiness that pervades all areas of my life."
Those words sat in my gold notebook (now christened my golden book of wisdom!) for a while. Occasionally, I revisited them - not as a call to action, but as a wistful dream. Until the summer of 2023.
By then, I had qualified as a coach and mentor, but I was coaching within a large organization, not running my own business. That summer, I attended a conference celebrating women in business. One speaker struck a chord: Kate Maxwell from Microsoft. She spoke about the Innovator’s Mindset—the idea that we need to launch before we're ready. If we wait for the perfect product, perfect timing, or perfect circumstances, we risk never starting at all.
Her words hit home. What was holding me back?
Fear: The Invisible Roadblock
I realised my biggest obstacle wasn’t a lack of skills or experience—it was fear. Fear of failing. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of changing career (again!). Even (bizarrely) fear of success.
But on the train journey home, something shifted. I started scribbling furiously in my notebook. I made a promise to myself: I am launching my coaching business. Now.
I love planning - brainstorming ideas is my comfort zone - but I knew that action, not just planning, was what I needed. This was new territory for me. I’d always been the foot soldier, the team player, the one in the crowd. Starting my own business felt like charging into battle alone, with no backup. And it was unsettling.
Cue imposter syndrome.
Reframing My Mindset
For months, I wrestled with self-doubt. Our brains are wired to protect us, and that means they’re excellent at coming up with reasons why something is a bad idea. My subconscious was throwing every possible roadblock in my way.
Most of our beliefs are formed by the age of seven, and they shape our reality. If we believe we’re not good enough, not qualified enough, or not capable, we act accordingly—even when those beliefs are not true. (Fun fact: Research suggests 80-90% of the results we create come from our subconscious beliefs. Crazy, right?)
So, what changed for me?
I noticed that every time I thought about launching my business, I felt energised. It felt right. It felt natural. And I was determined to do it.
I also had to remind myself: There are already so many amazing coaches out there - but I can’t compare my Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 16. That’s where a growth mindset became essential. I started replacing "I don’t know how to do this" with "I don’t know how to do this… yet."
Embracing the Discomfort
As an entrepreneur, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. If you're waiting to feel ready, you'll be waiting forever.
Think of a time when you felt genuine fear but pushed through and felt amazing afterward. That’s exactly what taking action in business feels like. As Brené Brown says, you can be brave and afraid at the same time.
Your dreams don’t need to be perfect - they just need to be bigger than your fears. Once you take action, fear loses its grip.
The Power of Messy Action
Since launching my coaching business, I’ve met some incredible people. I’ve been inspired in countless ways, but one person in particular, Alice Benham, has had a profound impact. While Kate Maxwell got me out of the starting blocks, Alice’s philosophy of Messy Action propelled me forward.
Messy Action is about taking small, intentional steps - even when you don’t have it all figured out. It’s about learning as you go, embracing imperfection, and keeping momentum. And that’s exactly what I did.
Final Thoughts
If you’re sitting on a dream but fear is holding you back, here’s my advice -
Write it down. Get clear on what you really want.
Challenge your limiting beliefs. Are they actually true?
Take action - even small, imperfect steps count.
Stop comparing your beginning to someone else’s middle.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Remember that messy action beats no action every time.
The best thing I ever did was start. And you can, too.
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