Starting a Business Before You Feel Ready: Why Confidence Comes After, Not Before

Six months after I quit my job and went full-time with The Joy Project, I got a message from an old colleague on LinkedIn.

It *sounded* supportive. But it dripped with quiet surprise.

“So proud of you! Can’t believe you’ve actually made it work!”

...Actually? I *have* made it work.

I’ve made *my own way* of making money.

Of helping people.

Of contributing to the world in a way that aligns with my purpose - and *pays my bills*.

And it keeps working. Because I keep *trying*.

I keep evolving, keep experimenting, and most importantly - I keep *taking action*, even when it’s messy AF.

You Don’t Need to Feel Ready to Start a Business

If you’ve got a business idea that won’t leave you alone... and a growing list of reasons why now isn’t the right time - this is your wake-up call.

You’re not stuck because you don’t know what to do. You’re stuck because you’re waiting for permission to do it.

Most aspiring entrepreneurs never get started because they believe these lies:

• "I need to feel confident before I take the leap."

• "I need a perfect business plan."

• "I need more time, money, energy, clarity…”

  
  

Wrong.

Confidence comes from doing. Clarity comes after you start. And readiness? That shit is a fairytale.

The Real Reason You're Not Starting That Business

Let’s call it out: you're outsourcing your self-trust.

You've been taught to seek validation, check every box, and wait for the perfect moment. But the longer you wait, the more life passes you by. That big dream of yours? It doesn’t come with an invitation. It comes with a decision.

👉 Start before you're ready. Build as you go. Believe in your idea before anyone else does.

Signs You’re Ready to Start Your Business (Even If You Don’t Feel Ready)

Here’s how you know it’s time:

• You’re sick of your 9-5 draining the joy out of you.

• You can’t stop thinking about your business idea.

• You know you’re meant for more - but the fear keeps winning.

• You want freedom, fulfillment, and financial independence.

• You’ve run out of excuses - and something inside you is done waiting.

  
  

That feeling? That’s not fear. That’s your next chapter knocking.

TL;DR: Start Before You’re Ready

The biggest mistake I see millennial women make when they want to start a business?

They wait.

They wait for confidence. For clarity. For permission.

But the truth is, all of that comes after you begin. Not before.

🔥 Want support turning your idea into income?

Check out The Joy Project Toolkit for practical tools, or apply for 1:1 coaching and get a strategic, no-BS coach in your corner.

Let’s stop overthinking and start doing.