Working alone sounded like freedom… until I realized how easy it was to lose my drive. Feeling stuck, procrastinating, or unmotivated because no one’s watching? You are not alone.
Initial Motivation
When you get started on your entrepreneurial journey, it’s easy to put in the hours and get shit done. You’re finally doing it, excitement and motivation run high… this first weekend, you do so much, you feel unstoppable. 💪🏼🔥
However, sooner or later, you start to slow down.
You realize you can’t be working all the time. You have to rest, plus life goes on and you still have other responsibilities and things to take care of… so you need to manage your time and prioritize.
As a result, things are not moving as fast as you thought they would. You’re not seeing much progress, and you’re starting to feel a bit discouraged. 😕
Plateau Scenario
Or maybe your story is different. You’ve actually been doing this for a decade now. It started well, but for a while you’ve hit a plateau. You’re getting by, but you’re far from thriving.
You’re getting everything done, because you have to. You’ve found the right balance between work and everything else… but let’s be honest, since the excitement faded you haven’t been pushing too hard.
What started as a dream sometimes feels daunting, like just another job.
I know exactly how that feels because I’ve been there myself, multiple times.
The initial excitement faded, motivation dipped, and suddenly what started as a fun/passion project felt like a burden.
What changed everything was acknowledging the need for external accountability and clear vision.
For me, that was some good friends who already went through this, and my wife Rosie who always has my back.
Why Accountability Matters
When you have a job as an employee, either in-person or remote, you usually have a manager or some teammates keeping you on track. This can be done passively or actively, but most of the time, deadlines are established and everyone has to do their job in a timely manner.
If you don’t “deliver”, there are usually consequences.
This means that whether you feel like doing your job or not, you sort of have to do it no matter what. That’s what you’re getting paid for after all!
By the way, this is the same during our education. We attend lectures, we are given homework and exams, and if we don’t deliver, there are consequences. Most educational systems have processes in place to make sure we stay on track.
Those systems - in the professional or educational world - are far from perfect; they have many cracks… but to a certain degree, they are in place and they work.
They do offer some sort of accountability.
Going Solo
And then, one day, you decide to go solo, to stand on your own two feet. 🚀
You have the idea, you have a plan to execute, you feel more or less ready.
Time to give a shot at becoming an entrepreneur. 🎯
To be more specific, I’ll use the term solopreneur here to reflect the fact that you’re venturing into this by yourself.
You might decide to start your “side hustle” while you have a job to guarantee some financial stability… or you go full steam ahead and quit to focus all your time and energy on this new venture!
As I said before, the reason I know this is not because I can read minds, but simply because I’m just sharing my own experiences and feelings. 😅
I’m definitely not alone here, many solopreneurs experience exactly these scenarios.
Why It’s Hard
I believe this is the consequence of a few things:
We are not really taught to operate this way. The traditional educational and professional systems usually provide some sort of direction… we work under the supervision and/or in collaboration with a person or a team (directly or indirectly)… so there’s a support system in place to hold us accountable to do what’s expected of us. I’m not saying these systems are always good; they can be toxic… but they exist.
The way our brains are wired can make this tricky. Motivation comes and goes. Some days we feel like working, some days we don’t. Also, depending on our personal and financial situations, we might not feel the pressure of delivering. “Why should I spend my weekend working when I’m already making good money with my regular job?” or “Why should I push more as an entrepreneur, the bills are paid, food is on the table… sure, things could be better, I wouldn’t say no to more income, but you know… I like watching Netflix.”
I’m sharing this first and foremost because I want you to know that if you feel this way, it doesn’t mean you’re lazy or that there is something wrong with you.
You might just not be passionate enough about your side hustle. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Maybe you’re not meant to grow it into something big.
While I do believe there’s always a part of personal responsibility in everything we do, and that we should hold ourselves accountable for what we say and do…
I also know things are not always easy.
Facing the Truth
Truth is, no one told us that starting and growing something on our own would be so hard.
Entrepreneurship is hard.
You thought you could just be doing “the thing you love,” but that’s far from the truth.
You thought it would be easy to start making money; there are others apparently doing it… but your inbox remains empty. 📭
You have to deal with and manage a million things pulling you in 25 different directions… plus life still goes on with everything it involves!
I get it.
Getting Unstuck
But what if I tell you there’s a way to get over this hump?
Practical Steps
I believe there are two key elements you need in order to move past this roadblock and get going again:
Get clarity on why and what you’re doing. I’m a strong believer in having a strong WHY. Motivation fades. A clear vision doesn’t. Spending time to zoom out and get clear on everything you’re trying to achieve will get you through the tough days/weeks/months. How do you do this? Journaling or some reflection exercises can be powerful solutions, or simply talking it out with someone. ✨
Build a support and accountability system. Just like in the traditional educational or professional world, designing systems around you and your business to keep you on track and hold you accountable will help you through the challenges and encourage you to deliver what needs to get done. Bonus points if this system is both honest and compassionate: you want someone telling you what you need to hear instead of just what you want to hear… but also someone who will understand what you’re dealing with. This can mean finding an accountability partner (friend, fellow solopreneur), joining online communities or accountability groups, or even hiring a mentor or coach. Whichever works best for you, having someone or a system in place can make a huge difference. 🤝
I know it’s not easy to ask for support.
But this whole entrepreneur thing is already hard enough; don’t let ego and pride make it even more difficult.
Ask for support. Accept help.
It doesn’t mean you have to give away any freedom, decision-making, or power. The point isn’t to get a boss. 😆
The point is to have someone in your corner to bounce ideas off, someone not fogged by day-to-day tasks, someone cheering you up when appropriate, but also calling you on your BS when necessary… someone who cares enough to see you achieve what you want, and even more.
An accountability buddy. A friend.
Final Encouragement
Doing it alone is hard.
Don’t underestimate the power of having someone in your corner, there for you, to call or text, holding you accountable on good days and bad.
If you’re feeling stuck and realize you need someone to hold you accountable in an honest, supportive, and compassionate way, I’m here to help! Let’s hop on a quick chat to see how I can support you in your journey as a solopreneur. 📲😊
Loved how honest and relatable this was. Even lightweight accountability (like a weekly check-in with another solopreneur) can create massive momentum over time. Sometimes just knowing someone will ask “Did you do the thing?” is enough to kill procrastination. Thanks for writing this.