I notice when people are starting creating something new, like a podcast, a new business, or exploring new careers… there can be a start and stop cycle to it.
Creative burst, then stall. Then some new learning sparks some new creation and it’s going for a bit…. And then distracted by home chores… for hours… then weeks… months…. For me, and it seems many others, laundry is an easy go-to for a false sense of accomplishment on goals, so I had to ban it during work hours.
Still, that desire to create something new hangs there, knocking in the back of your mind.
Then the worst part kicks in: the negative self-talk about it, like “I’m just not good at this” or “I can’t be consistent enough to make it work” or “I can’t make decisions” or “That kind of progress is for other people, not me.”
Why Start-Stop Happens and What Helps
You’re NOT broken or bad if start-stop is happening. First of all, ebbs and flow are OK and part of life. But today I’m talking about actual stalls, like lost momentum.
Lost momentum, or fits and starts then stall for a long while, is what happens when you don’t have a support structure in place.
By effective structures, I’m talking about things like a team of kindred spirits working on similar things, or an accountability buddy, or a business coach.
You can test this theory. Try a taste of something along those lines, like talking about your hopes/ideas with a good-listener friend. Notice how it feels to have that caring companionship.
Moving forward and making real progress with new things takes ongoing brave steps, step after step. And that courage, and knowing what steps to take, comes MUCH more easily (and more joyfully) with companionship along the way.
I see it over and over when people try to go it alone, pushing themselves, spending hours on tech challenges alone, staring at a screen: they fizzle out. With support, they feel better and keep going. That momentum then adds up and builds confidence and impact.
I’ll say it again:
You’re not broken.
You just need a better structure to hold you.
It doesn’t have to be like pushing a boulder uphill all alone, which leads to burnout. You can make progress, without pushing yourself. Here’s a few ideas for supportive structures below.
To break the start-stop cycle in a gentle way:
Supportive structures are available and so useful for breaking the cycle.
I invite you to explore a few options and feel it out.
These are all designed for introverts and highly sensitive people (HSPs), which is to say, people who appreciate a gentle, heart-centered, and still practical approach:
- Support groups:
- SOULpreneurs Circle
For introverts and sensitive souls in business. - Sensitive on Purpose
For gentle souls who want to work in more alignment with their purpose.
Together, you’ll be building clarity, confidence, and momentum toward your more meaningful and less stressful livelihood goals (whether new career, a business idea, or hybrid).
- SOULpreneurs Circle
- Individual coaching
