What’s taking so long?
Often, I find myself in conversations with people who want to launch a platform, and yet aren’t doing anything. Or, they start and get excited —only for everything to fade after a few weeks.
(I call this the rollercoaster syndrome, where nothing lasts and you wind up with a bag over your head.)
Here’s what I know to be true:
If you’re reading this, you have a message. And in 2018, if you have a message, you must launch your platform.
Every minute you put it off, is a minute someone out there misses out on your magic.
The intention of this post is to give you the much needed motivation and inspiration to start, and also to get rid of all your excuses.
(I’ve been there, and mine sound great on paper. But paper doesn’t do anything.)
Here are 24 reasons why you haven’t launched your platform, and how to use them as leverage to launch now:
1. Waiting for the “right time” to start. Every day you wait is a selfish decision —because people are waiting.
Next month. Next season. Next year.
Notice a common theme here?
Here’s the truth: your life (likely) won’t get less busy, the kids won’t get easier and a bundle of cash won’t fall from the heavens.
The best time to start was yesterday. And the second best time? Right here, right now.
2. You believe clarity is a destination —instead of an evolution and daily process.
Clarity is overrated. There, I said it (life coaches are going to start coming after me in 3.7 seconds.)
While clarity can be important, too often people wait to take action under the guise of clarity.
Want to create clarity?
Ship 100 episodes, posts or pieces of content with your platform.
3. You’re doing it for the wrong reasons and haven’t developed an unshakeable why.
Oddly enough, if you start your platform with only the intention (and pressure) to monetize, you’re likely to give up long before the results pour in.
What is your why? At the Academy, we believe one message, on one day, can change one life.
4. You only create when “you feel like it” and wait for motivation to strike.
The amateur sits around waiting for a bolt of inspirational lightning to fall from the heavens, and then they start. The professional understands emotional states are fleeting: like the tides, they come and go.
Instead, learn to slice through this by taking consistent action in the face of doubt, and insecurities. This will build an unshakable level of confidence few have.
PRO TIP: Learn to love leaning in when you don’t feel like it.
5. You believe the market is saturated and everything has been said way too many times.
“Tommy, the market seems to be so saturated, and it’s too late.”
Here’s the truth: unless you’re building rocket ships to Mars, almost any market will be saturated. There’s nearly 5 billion people connected online —deal with it.
However, if you take the mindset of mastering your craft and playing the long game —you’ll notice the market isn’t saturated.
6. You aren’t willing to invest and bet on yourself over and over again.
Launching your platform and building your dream business is not about taking one leap.
It’s about having the courage and audacity to make bold decisions over and over in the face of fear, and executing anyway.
7. You’re making it about you instead of living in the hearts and minds of the people you’re looking to serve.
Your platform isn’t about you.
It’s about people out .there who are waiting to hear your message and be impacted through your craft.
Everytime you feel resistance, think about those who are struggling and could use a moment of clarity from your brand, product, service or content.
PRO TIP: Dig deep into the hearts and minds of your core audience when you’re stuck.
8. Your expectations are higher than your commitments —and you feel entitled to results.
I wrote about this in The 1% Rule, but often we have sky high expectations:
We quit our corporate gig, and expect to double our income in three months.
We launch our platform, and expect to have a five figure sponsor in 8 weeks.
We start a new physical training program, and expect to be beach ready in a month.
And yet —our commitments don’t match these expectations. In this case, we can either lower our expectations or raise our commitments.
9. You want the lifestyle of an entrepreneur or thought leader —but you don’t want the hard work.
Freedom. Flexibility. Travel. Spruced up Instagram pictures.
Often, people want the lifestyle of an entrepreneur or thought leader, but don’t want to put in the work behind the scenes.
Become the linchpin by pursuing mastery of your craft in a world looking only to get noticed.
10. You haven’t become your number one raving fan —so how could you expect others to?
Often, I have my clients read their work and re-watch their videos or podcasts.
And it’s painful, but I have them do this because if they’re not their own number one fan, it’s impossible to expect others to be.
11. You’re trying too hard to be like someone else. The reason your message is unique is because it’s you.
Don’t be intense because Gary Vaynerchuk is.
Don’t be energetic because Tony Robbins is.
Don’t be a total nerd because Tim Ferris is.
While modeling others has value, you can often create a persona that isn’t truly who you are.
Instead, find what makes you, you…this is why people will connect with you.
12. You haven’t identified a “must have” skill — and there’s no proof you’re working on it daily.
In a world telling us to bet on our passion, skill acquisition can be forgotten. And yet, what really makes you and I valuable in the marketplace is the acquisition of skills.
What’s yours? For me, I have an umbrella of communication which is broken down into: writing, copywriting and video/speaking.
I work on these daily, and this is what separates you and I in a crowded marketplace.
13. You haven’t picked ONE place where people can find you — the pillar of your content.
I was coaching a new client who was ready to explode online, and they told me they’d set up 7 accounts.
I told them to delete six of them, and be ruthless about their focus on it.
Why?
Because there’s value in picking one platform to build your base around. For me, it was the podcast: I’m a deep, intense person and I know if someone listens to a few episodes and sticks with me —they’re my people.
PRO TIP: Your pillar platform is the one you love the most and where your audience is.
14. You’re trying to everywhere at once way too early —and then wondering why there’s no traction.
This is related to the prior one, but let’s face it: we all have limited bandwidth every day. People will see Gary Vee, or Lewis Howes and take on the pressure of being everywhere at once.
But if you’re everywhere too early, you’re nowhere.
15. You’re not taking at least three hours a week to take inventory of your business and course correct.
Hustle, grind, hustle grind.
What’s missing from this equation? Reflection, slowing down and creating space to think about problems and find creative solutions.
White space is your friend. Sometimes, too much action without purpose will leave you and I burning out and ready to quit.
16. You’re not obsessed. Interested won’t get you there —and you’ll fold quickly.
Obsessed. This is what it takes. Most people are interested, and when you’re interested —you fold when adversity strikes.
17. You have no systems, structure, processes around anything…”winging it” only lasts so long.
Winging it. This is where most entrepreneurs or solopreneurs earning less than $200K a year operate at. They usually do it all, and even bringing up the words systems and processes leaves them flustered.
In your business, find ways to automate, delegate and systemize the things you find yourself doing over and over.
There’s amazing software, freelancers, virtual assistants and much more help available to help you clear things off your plate.
18. You’re trying too hard to be someone else. There are 7 billion, unique people here. They want to hear from you — be yourself.
What makes you, you? For me, I’m an intense guy by nature.
I’m deep…sometimes too deep. I’m passionate. I love alternative rock. I’m awkward when I’m too dressed up.
Case in point: allow your uniqueness to shine, both in what you perceive as powerful, and the stuff that makes you unique.
19. You’re not willing to launch and fail countless times.
I’d pushed a webinar for three weeks, and two people showed up.
One was my grandmother.
And yet, I pushed and delivered 90 minutes of training because I was willing to celebrate the win of putting myself out there instead of the (perceived) failure of no one showing up.
20. You (still) believe having a website and a business card mean anything.
I know, you’re reading this on a website. But here’s the truth: I’ve spent $50,000 on websites and never made a return on them.
At some point, having a home base is important. But no one is going to show up simply because you have one.
If you’re going to have a business card, make it unique.
21. You’re waiting to be “discovered” instead of being so damn good they can’t ignore you.
Oprah isn’t ringing your cell phone.
Dr. Oz won’t be dropping you an email.
Lewis Howes won’t DM you to be on the show.
While these can happen, they only happen when you commit to mastery and instead of wanting to be “discovered”…you discover yourself.
Instead of waiting to be discovered, discover yourself.
22. You haven’t become accountable to the person in the mirror. In other words, you’re a shitty boss.
Ouch. I know, it hurts. But it’s often true: we have bosses, co-workers and people to report to because they ensure we follow through.
For the newly minted entrepreneur, they realize they’re not great at self accountability.
PRO TIP: Raise your personal standards and become impeccable with your word.
23. You’re constantly shipping-stopping-shipping — and you never harness momentum.
The rollercoaster syndrome is extremely common, and it goes like this:
Get hyped on motivational caffeine, and go guns blazing for two weeks. You’re posting everywhere and relentless with how you ship your message.
And then, it stops —nothing. Weeks go by, and you repeat the cycle. This is a surefire way to never gain momentum and always feel stuck.
24. You minimize your expertise, because it’s yours — yet people all over the world are amazed by it.
JJ Virgin was an expert in nutrition, but she was such an expert —she’d forgotten what was familiar to her was life changing to someone else.
Often, what we’re skilled and known for becomes boring to us, and we forget the level of value we’re able to provide others.
Where are you holding back?
Here’s the truth: I wanted to start my podcast 6 months before I did, and I got lost in the technical component which was a mask for fear.
Resistance will always be there, and that’s a great thing.
Which one of these connected with you, and what are you committed to doing about it?
If you’re looking for clarity in every part of your life and business, grab the free Academy Action guide with 12 pages of in depth material designed to get you radically clear…and eradicate excuses.
