The 3 Myths That Keep Smart People Stuck Before They Even Start

So you’re thinking about building something online. A course.  A coaching offer.  A membership.

And before you even begin, your brain is already spinning.

You think you need:

Every platform. Every tool. A perfect landing page.  A massive following.

Or you’re completely frozen because it all feels like too much.

I’ve been there.  So have most of the people who reach out to me.

Here are the three myths that keep capable people stuck before they ever get traction.

Myth #1: I Need Multiple Products and a Full Suite of Offers

No.

You need one clear offer for one specific audience.

That’s it.

Not five tiers.
Not a podcast, YouTube channel, mastermind, and membership.
One defined transformation for one defined group.

If you’re teaching baking, teach one cake.
If you’re teaching marketing, teach one channel.
If you’re helping business owners, solve one painful problem first.

Clarity creates momentum.
Complexity creates paralysis.

Start focused. Expand later.

Myth #2: It Has to Be Polished, Glitzy, and Perfect

It doesn’t.

Your early work does not need to win design awards.

It needs to work.

If the problem is real and the transformation is clear, people will forgive imperfect formatting.

Perfection is often procrastination dressed up as productivity.

Finish it.  Deliver it. As Seth Godin says in The Practice, “Ship the work”.  Improve it in version two.

You don’t need the perfect tech stack to begin.
You need proximity to real people and a clear solution.

Myth #3: Once It’s Built, the Money Will Roll In

This is the biggest one. Products do not sell themselves. Pretty pages do not create demand. Revenue follows clarity and connection.

If you don’t know who you’re serving, what they’re struggling with, and why your solution matters, no amount of polish will fix that.

Start with the audience.

Listen.
Observe.
Engage in real conversations.

Understand the pain before you build the solution.

When you are connected to the right people and solving a real problem, momentum becomes possible.

Not overnight.

But consistently.

If you’re stepping into this world, focus on structure before scale.

Define what you’re qualified to solve.
Find the people already talking about that problem.
Offer a clear, contained transformation.

Build small.
Validate.
Refine.

Then grow.

That’s how something sustainable actually starts.