Tactics for Women Entrepreneurs to Stop Over-Preparing and Take Action Now

Taking action is a crucial step for any entrepreneur

This is how women entrepreneurs can demonstrate the value they bring to the table.

Are you an ambitious woman entrepreneur who is stuck in the endless cycle of getting ready but not actually taking action? If so, you are not alone! It may surprise you how many women with years of experience, even decades of experience, get caught up in this cycle. In this blog post, I'll be dropping wisdom and knowledge and some tough love to help you trust yourself and become the confident leader you’re meant to be. I'll also outline in detail what steps you can use to ensure you are taking action and not getting stuck in preparation. So, buckle up and let's do this!

Why is it important for women entrepreneurs to take action instead of getting stuck in preparation?

Taking action is a crucial step for any entrepreneur, regardless of gender. Women entrepreneurs, however, have an added impetus to take action, as the playing field has long been uneven and the odds stacked against them. By taking action, women entrepreneurs can demonstrate the value they bring to the table. Taking action also creates opportunities for women entrepreneurs to learn and grow and is a way to close the gap between them and their male counterparts. By getting out of the planning stage and into the action stage, women entrepreneurs can take advantage of new opportunities for growth and development. Furthermore, taking action can provide a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of success that can motivate them for future endeavors. Ultimately, taking action is the way for women entrepreneurs to make progress and achieve success.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Objectively take a look and see if you are spending too much time getting ready.

The first step in stopping the endless cycle of getting ready is to objectively assess how much time you are spending. Are you devoting hours upon hours to researching, planning, and preparing? Or are you taking only the necessary steps to move the needle and get results? If you find yourself spending too much time consuming other people's content or working on your mindset without using your skill set, then you may be caught in the getting ready cycle.  In addition, it's important to check in with yourself to see if you're overdelivering and undercharging. While it's important to provide top-notch service, it's not necessary to over-impress your clientele. They need to be impressed with themselves and what they can achieve with your help. Finally, be mindful of how much time you spend researching and gathering information. While it's important to be informed, research can become a rabbit hole and lead to overcomplicating ideas. If you find yourself in this position, it's time to take action.

If you don't already have a set plan for getting things done, then it's time to make one. It's important to have an actionable list of goals and tasks that you can work on. This will help you stay focused and motivated, as well as provide a timeline for when certain tasks should be completed. Additionally, it's helpful to have a system of accountability in place. Whether this is a friend, coach, or mentor, having someone to check in with can help keep you on track. Finally, it's important to manage your energy and stay in alignment with your goals. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, take a step back and focus on the big picture. Remind yourself of why you are doing what you're doing and how it will help you in the long run. This will help keep you motivated and focused and prevent you from getting stuck in the getting ready cycle.

2. Take action with the information you have available.
To start taking action, it is important to first identify what information you already have. This could include information you've gathered through research, conversations with mentors, and insights derived from your own experience. Once you have identified the information you have available, you can use this to create a plan of action. This plan should include specific, measurable goals, a timeline for achieving each goal, and actionable steps for completing each goal. These actionable steps should be realistic and achievable within the timeline you have set. To ensure success it is important to break down large goals into smaller, more manageable tasks and to focus on taking action on one task at a time. Taking action can also include delegating tasks to others, such as hiring an assistant or using freelancers. Finally, it is important to track your progress and make adjustments as needed. This will help you identify what is working and where you need to make changes to stay on track.

Taking action could also include doing research, setting up meetings and interviews, networking, and seeking out mentors or advisors. Additionally, it is important to start building relationships with key stakeholders, such as potential partners, customers, and investors. Sharing your vision with these stakeholders will help them understand and support your goals. Finally, it is important to document your progress and successes. This will help you track your progress, gain insights from your experiences, and be able to share your accomplishments with others. 

3. Stop over-delivering and undercharging.
Women are often conditioned to think they are not enough, so they tend to over-deliver in their business and undercharge for their services. The key is to take action by making offers to potential clients, rather than just working on your mindset or consuming others' content. Moving the needle means generating leads, sales, revenue, and profit. This requires getting out of the bleachers and being a leader, not a follower. Lastly, research can become a rabbit hole, so it's important to limit the amount of time spent locating information and focus on actually taking action with what you find. 

The fourth step to moving from preparing to doing is to trust your own judgment. Women often second guess their decisions and doubt themselves, when what we need is to be confident in our decision-making and to communicate our thoughts and opinions clearly and concisely. This will help us to become better leaders and decision-makers. The final step to becoming a consistent action-taker is to find a mentor and join a support network. It is so important to have support and guidance when running a business as a woman. Having a mentor will help you stay on track with your goals, provide you with resources and advice, and help you stay motivated. Joining a support network made up of other women entrepreneurs can also help you stay motivated by being connected to your peers.