Stop procrastinating.

We've all been there. You get a killer business idea. Then months go by, and you’re still doing research.

I call this getting stuck in “planning mode.” It’s a killer of momentum for almost everyone.

Planning mode is a form of perfectionism that keeps you safe from failure and success. It keeps you stuck on the treadmill, going nowhere.

So today I’m going to break down the common symptoms of planning mode and offer some action steps to get you out of it. I want you to go from planning to doing, right now.

Because nobody made their first dollar by planning to do something.

Action is required.

So let’s get started.

Symptom 1: Reading more books (or blogs, or articles, or podcasts)

I know countless people with a growing stack of business books on their nightstand. But they’ve never started a business. If this hits a little too close to home, don’t feel bad. It’s common.

Action Step: Choose ONE book. And read ONLY the chapter that’s most relevant to your next step. Then implement that advice this week. No more excuses about needing to "finish the book first” or “I just learned about this one other book…” You’ve got enough info for now. Take the plunge.

Symptom 2: Endless research

"How to start an online business" is your #1 Google Search. You’ve asked ChatGPT to come up with 100+ steps you can take to start. And maybe you own 6 domain names, just in case. But you haven’t actually started your business yet.

Action Step: Set your phone timer for 30 minutes. And write down your best business idea and three concrete steps to make progress. Make sure your action steps can be achieved in a short period of time, because you need to accomplish bite-sized tasks to get some momentum.

When your 30-minute timer goes off, do your first step immediately. Not “later.” Right now.

Symptom 3: Perfecting your business plan

You've rewritten your go-to-market strategy four times, but you’ve never actually spoken to a prospective customer. You’re thinking rewrite number five will be the magic plan that gets you going.

Action Step: Close that document. Write a one-paragraph description of your product or service. Send it to five people in your target market, and ask for feedback. Real-world feedback is more important than anything you’re doing right now.

Symptom 4: Obsessing over tools and tech

You've signed up for four email marketing softwares, but you’ve never sent a sales email. Or you’re stuck comparing Squarespace to Carrd for your first website, but you’ve haven’t actually defined your offer yet. Or maybe you spend more time comparing productivity tools than being productive. This is the most common procrastination-disguised-as-action I see.

Action Step:  Grab a notebook (the original productivity tool). Write down your top three priorities for moving your business forward. And work on the first one for 25 minutes, without any distractions. Because no app or tool will magically make you productive. Action is the only thing that creates production.

Symptom 5: Waiting for the "Perfect Time"

You've convinced yourself you'll start when [insert magic event] happens. But unfortunately, the perfect time never seems to arrive.

Action Step: Identify one small aspect of your business you can start today, regardless of circumstances. It could be as simple as publishing your website, getting feedback from one prospective customer, or making your first cold call.

The old adage remains true: The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now.

Every successful business started with a bunch of imperfect action. And of course, your goal shouldn't be to eliminate planning entirely — you need to find the right balance between planning and doing.

Here's a simple rule of thumb: For every hour you spend planning, spend at least two hours taking concrete action towards your goals. Because you’ll never be rewarded for staying busy. Rewards come with real progress.

Your checklist to break out of Planning Mode:

Reading too many books?

→ Choose ONE relevant book chapter and implement its advice this week.

Doing endless research?

→ Set a 30-minute timer to write down your best business idea and three concrete, achievable steps.

Busy perfecting your business plan?

→ Write a one-paragraph business description and send it to five potential customers for feedback.

Obsessing over tools and tech?

→ Write down your top three business priorities and work on the first one for 25 minutes without distractions.

Waiting for the "perfect time?"‍

→ Identify and start one small aspect of your business today, regardless of circumstances.

Remember, the key is to move from endless planning to consistent action. Start small, but start now. Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction when it comes to building a business.

Once you've done that, reply to this email and let me know what action you took. I'd love to hear about your progress.(Note: I have an auto-responder, but I read almost every email that comes my way).

And that's all for this week.

Now close this email, and go do something to move your business forward.

P.S. If you want more strategies for turning your business ideas into reality, check out the Creator MBA. It's my flagship course designed to help you move from planning to profitable action, quickly and efficiently. I’ll take you step-by-step through finding a profitable business idea, differentiating yourself in a crowded market, growing your audience of prospective customers, and closing deals.