Stop Waiting to Feel Ready: How ADHD Entrepreneurs Can Start Growing Their Business Now

If you’re an entrepreneur with ADHD, you probably know that feeling of wanting everything to be just right before you launch, share, or start something. You’ve got ideas for days, but the follow-through? That’s where perfectionism kicks your ass.

The truth is, perfectionism isn’t about being perfect. It’s about fear; fear of judgment, failure, or even success (yup, fear of success is a real thing). And when it comes to your business growth and your finances, that fear often leads to inaction, which costs you way more than a messy first draft ever will.

1. You’re Waiting for the Perfect Time to do ‘It” (Spoiler: It Doesn’t Exist)

You tell yourself you’ll start when things “settle down,” when you have more money, when your website looks better, when Mercury isn’t in retrograde… whatever the reason, it’s just another delay (or cough, cough, excuse).

Impact:
That “waiting” keeps you stuck in limbo. You’re not moving forward, not earning, and not learning. Meanwhile, opportunities pass you by like you’re pulled over on the side of the highway.

Try This Instead:

• Start messy. Send the email, post the offer, open the savings account! Especially if it’s not perfect, because that will let you see that it’s okay when you do.

• Give yourself permission to improve as you go.

• Remember: imperfect action today is worth more than the “perfect” plan that never happens.

2. You’re Spending Hours Tweaking Instead of Selling

You might spend days perfecting a logo, rewriting your bio, or colour-coding your budget spreadsheet (which you know I love), but can’t seem to hit “publish” or “send invoice.”

Impact:
You’re burning energy on low-impact tasks instead of the ones that make you money or move your business forward. This is a sneaky form of procrastination disguised as “productivity.”

Try This Instead:

• Ask yourself: “Will this task make me money or move me forward?” before diving into a task.

• Figure out how much time you need to complete a task. Then set a timer and go into it with the thought that “done is better than perfect.” Once the timer goes off, hit publish on that post, send the email, or take the next action so you don’t keep treading water with it.

• Get accountability, text a friend or coach when you finish the actual task that matters.

3. You’re Avoiding Your Finances Because You Don’t Feel “Ready”

“I’ll look at my numbers once I’ve made more money.” Sound familiar? For ADHD entrepreneurs, money avoidance often comes wrapped in perfectionism. You want to have it all figured out before you start tracking anything or reach out for help.

Impact:
This leads to missed invoices, tax stress, and spending without clarity. Financial avoidance creates more chaos, which fuels more shame and stress.

Try This Instead:

• Pick one small money task for your business and personal finances, like checking your business account balances or writing down all of your debts.

• Automate one financial task (e.g., paying a bill or transferring money to savings).

• Celebrate looking, not just doing. Awareness is progress when you’re in avoidance mode.

4. You’re Overcomplicating Systems That Should Be Simple

You’ve got 17 different apps, spreadsheets, and notebooks trying to organize your business or your money. But because it’s never quite perfect, you keep changing things instead of using them. Having 17 different versions of your budget is also an indication that you’re striving for perfection instead of taking action.

Impact:
Constantly restarting prevents systems from sticking. Your brain never gets a chance to build routines, which keeps you in a state of chaos and burnout.

Try This Instead:

• Stick with one tool for 30 days, even if it’s not ideal. You can take notes of what isn’t working, but don’t go hunting for the next best thing!

• Focus on consistency over complexity.

• Remember: the best system is the one you actually use.

5. You’re Holding Back from Growth Because You Think You’re Not “Ready Yet”

You might be waiting to have the perfect offer, the perfect strategy, or the perfect mindset before scaling or hiring help. But perfectionism is the silent killer of business growth. I see this so often with my financial coaching clients who have a big idea, but are stuck in '‘making it right mode'“ instead of sharing it with the world!

Impact:
You end up doing everything yourself, living stuck in survival mode, and leaving money on the table. Your business doesn’t grow, and neither do you.

Try This Instead:

• Ask yourself: “What would happen if I did this imperfectly but consistently?”

• Then ask yourself: “What will happen if I don’t take the next step to move me forward?”

• Focus on progress metrics, not perfection metrics.

Remember: Progress Beats Perfection Every Time

Perfectionism is just fear wearing a fancy outfit that we can create better excuses around. It tells you that doing nothing is safer than trying and failing, but it’s lying to you.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to take action on your finances or business, this is your nudge: now is the time. Messy, imperfect, glorious action is what creates results.

And if you want support building ADHD-friendly money systems that actually stick, without needing to do it perfectly, and building in accountability along the way for your money and your business, that’s exactly what I help my clients with. 💛

👉 Book a free consult and let’s get your money working for your ADHD brain, not against it.