6 Personal Beliefs You Need To Lose

Posted on November 01, 2016 by Gabriel Aviles, One of Thousands of Entrepreneurship Coaches on Noomii.

If you’re a dreamer (and most of us are), you have it. You think about it. You dream about it. It’s that unique idea (or most likely ideas) for a new product or service, burning inside of you, that you can’t wait to unleash to the world!

Even if you don’t consider yourself a dreamer, you’ve likely had ideas that you’ve chosen to shelve. You’ve hesitated to take the necessary steps to create and execute a launch plan and have opted for the path of least resistance (inaction).

Why the hesitation? While everyone’s situation is certainly unique, I’d like you to consider 6 personal beliefs you need to lose, since they are likely stopping you from launching your idea. I’m not talking about losing your religion here; I’m speaking about lies you believe about yourself and your situation:

I’m Not Qualified
Let’s just get this one out of the way. Yes, you are NOT qualified. You don’t have what it takes to do this on your own. You’re going to have to stretch to make your dream a reality.

The good news is that anyone making an impact shares your sentiment. They too feel unqualified, even if they don’t admit it. In fact, if you feel qualified, your vision is probably too small anyway. Ok, now that we’ve established that, we can move on.

I’m Too Busy
Yes, you’re busy. Like many of us, you’re burning the midnight oil with some combination of work, school, family, and sleep. However, since this passion project isn’t going to launch itself, you need to carve out time for it. You may not be able to devote 40 weekly hours to this idea, but what CAN you do? Can you commit a few minutes a day? What about 5-10 hours a week or even 10-15?

While it may feel impossible to accomplish much with a little time, it’s amazing what we can do, over time, if we consistently carve space in our schedule to pursue our ideas.

I Don’t Have Money
Money, with good reason, can often seem like a hurdle as well. Fortunately, there are ways to generate funds needed to push a venture forward. The ideal situation would be to find a way to have a client-funded launch. Is there a way for you to obtain pre-payment prior to creating your product or service? This approach is common for online businesses with engaged email lists, but it can also be done with other types of launches.

Another method that we hear much about these days is Kickstarter and other crowdfunding sources. While these campaigns don’t make sense for every launch, they certainly have worked for many.

The next possibility would be friends and family (that rich uncle), with investors being a fourth option (both Angel and Venture Capital). Yes, you will likely need to take the time to create a business plan, research options, and prepare Shark Tank-like presentations to potential investors, but your idea is worth it.

I’m Not Connected
Even if you have thousands of friends, both online and off, you may not have the right connections needed to push your idea forward. Fortunately, there are ways to build your network.

The first step would be to start with your closest friends and family. Make sure the ones who love you the most know what you’re doing and ask them to connect you to others who might take an interest. You never know who your favorite aunt might know.

In addition to friends and family, tap into groups, both online and in your community. You might be surprised to discover like-minded people in your community or on a Facebook group who could become great allies for your dream.

If you can’t find other potential allies using this method, try starting your own group online or locally. You never know who might come forward, expressing the same need, after you take the initiative. Depending on your idea, you may consider joining organizations like the Chamber of Commerce or an Entrepreneur Center.

Over time, you will expand your relationship pool, exponentially increasing your chances of connecting with the right people who can provide you with encouragement and resources.

My Idea Is Not Original
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that there is “nothing new under the sun.” While this is mostly true, I dare say that your specific offerings will be different. After all, each one of us is placed here for a specific purpose during this specific time in history with specific abilities and creativity. Your unique view of the pain points you’re trying to solve, as well as your unique execution, will be influenced by your individual voice, experiences, expertise, personality, worldview and much more, resulting in a distinctive offering which will hopefully appeal to an untapped audience in a new way.

My Idea Needs Improvement
As entrepreneurs, we often delay a launch due to a desire to have a perfect product with a perfect launch. We want to put our best foot forward. After all, our name is on the line.

While there is wisdom in getting some of the major bugs worked out, there is also something to be said about creating a “minimal viable product” and letting the marketplace help you to develop version 2.0. Once again, we have to thank the internet for the ability to provide us with timely feedback on our launches, often leading to immediate improvements.

The lesson here is that often, good enough is good enough. Don’t get trapped in an endless cycle of waiting for your idea to be perfectly executed. You may never launch it.

While I can’t promise you that your idea will be accepted by others and ultimately revolutionize the world, I can promise you that you will regret not shedding these personal beliefs and giving it a go. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? Even if your idea doesn’t take off, at least you’ve learned along the way and made some new connections, paving the way for your next idea to be a success.

So what are you waiting for? What personal beliefs are holding you back? Which ones do you need to lose? Let me know which ones I haven’t mentioned.