In the second of a series of blogs around why we don’t get done what we want to get done, limiting beliefs may be one of your culprits. You may have the best idea, greatest marketing strategies, and effective systems in place, but you still feel stuck. You can’t gain any momentum and you can’t necessarily figure out why.

Often we’ve got old voices going on in our heads and we’re sitting with junk and baggage about ourselves that causes us to think we can’t get our stuff out there.

Reason #2 Why you don’t get things done “Limiting beliefs are holding you back”

A limiting belief is something that you believe to be true about yourself, that most likely isn’t true at all. Until you get to the bottom of this belief it can prevent you from moving forward as you’d like.

Some limiting beliefs have been internalized from childhood. You believe them to be as true as the sky is blue and the grass is green. That’s how you function in the world. It’s not until you challenge that belief and focus on a more conscious level that you can see it isn’t true at all.

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I have an important follow-up to last week’s confession/blog.  Last week I was procrastinating (to the point of watching movies in bed in the middle of the day) until I followed my own advice!

I’ve been brainstorming about a new program to help entrepreneurs quickly create a whole new source of income by providing the “how-to” steps to create an info-product. I know this program has incredible value and appeal but I’ve been stuck.

Why? Because I wasn’t clear on who my “ideal” client for this program is even though I’d just written an article on why that’s so important!

The problem was that the client I was initially visualizing for this program just wasn’t fun for me to work with… In fact the person who kept popping into my head was my mother! And although she helped me come up with the idea for the program I just couldn’t visualize working with her. So even though I knew I was sitting on this great idea, I couldn’t move forward.

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I have a secret to share with you…I’ve been procrastinating a lot lately. I mean so badly that I’ve taken to watching movies in bed in the middle of the day. (This is not something I normally do) but I can’t seem to get out of my own way.

Here’s a part of what is going on…

Last week my mother called to speak with me about my business, saying she had advice that she really needed me to listen to. (Well if you know the relationship I have with my mother you’d know I didn’t listen to her when it came to putting on rain boots when I was little, you can only imagine how I feel when I get her call offering business advice).

“Kim, I’ve been thinking about your business and all this get it done “stuff” you do and I think you need to make a shift.”

(My stomach gets queasy, I feel my defensive juices rising but I breathe and say to myself, listen and give her space to share).

“It seems to me you’re going after a market of people who are very advanced in their businesses but I think you’re missing a whole other market of people that could use your help.”

(My stomach’s still spinning and my face is getting flushed but I continue breathing, listening and taking it in.)

“I think there’s a market of people like me that could benefit from your work. People who really don’t know the internet or all the lingo you use or possibly much about how business things get done BUT they’ve got something that they really want to do and they’d be thrilled to have the simple steps on HOW to do it.”

“I think you’ve got an opportunity in the “newbie” market.

Now, here’s where my procrastination comes in…

I know she’s right.

(BUT I hate that she’s right).

I’ve thought of this idea of providing different levels of get it done programs – for the newbie and the more advanced.

I’ve thought that I could take specific projects that people want to get done like creating a blog, or developing a product, or creating a coaching program and provide them with a really simple roadmap for how to do it.

Fact is I’ve thought about these things and haven’t done them. I’ve done other stuff but not that stuff.

Why?

I’m sure there’s some limiting belief getting in my way (that I haven’t nailed down yet) because I know this procrastination is not about me being lazy.

One thing I do know is that I’m not going to “spite” my mom (as I might have done when I was younger) and not do what she says just because she says it – when I know it’s the right thing to do.

I just need to figure out how to do it my way, in a way that’s fun for me.

I need to get clear exactly what that newer person in business is struggling with and figure out how I can best teach them what they need to know.

I know I can do it.

I just have to figure out HOW to do it.

I have to think like them and think about what they need. I then have to package my information in a way they can digest it.

I keep imagining I’ve got to create checklists, templates and a PowerPoint.

Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not.

What is true is that once I know WHO I want to help and WHAT it is they need the most, then I can figure out HOW to do it.

I’ve just got to sit my butt down (and stop watching movies in the middle of the day) and just do it.

It’s National Procrastination Week (March 1 – 7, 2010) so it’s a good time as busy entrepreneurs to think about how to conquer procrastination. When you work at home it’s so easy to procrastinate. Why? Because you’re always busy.

You can confuse being busy with being productive. They are not the same thing.

For me, having three children and a home-based business make for a very busy day (as I’m sure you can relate to). There are lunches to pack, carpools to run, emails to answer, and calls to make. While all these tasks are necessary for me to run a household, and care for my children, I can use them as an excuse to procrastinate important projects that will help me grow my business.

It’s too easy, and as work at home entrepreneurs we’re all guilty of getting caught up in activities that take our time but get us nowhere in our business. I call these “time vampires” because they literally take the life out of our business.

Some Examples of Time Vampires (during business hours) Include:

• Checking emails constantly throughout the day
• Answering your personal phone line (except if it’s an emergency)
• Doing household chores and errands

The solutions is to vanquish these time vampires and intentionally set aside dedicated time and focus on activities that directly impact our bottom line.

Here are some practical ways to get moving on a project you’ve been procrastinating:

• Chunk out times of the day for particular revenue-generating activities.

• Focus on only one task at a time.

• Close applications on your computer to prevent distraction.

Instead of procrastinating you’ll start using your work time more efficiently. As a result you’ll be able to enjoy your personal time—knowing you’ve already engaged in activities that are moving your business forward.

Got any tips that help you work efficiently from home? Please share them!