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The REAL reason starting feels impossible


Issue #147 | June 17th, 2025

Presented by Taplio

Hey, it’s Pat!

You know that feeling when you have a brilliant idea — you're excited about it, you can see exactly how it could change your life ... and then you do absolutely nothing about it?

That's not laziness. That's not a lack of motivation. That's your brain doing exactly what it's designed to do: keep you alive.

The problem is, your brain is running on 200,000-year-old software that hasn't received an update. In today's world, the very mechanism designed to protect you is actually sabotaging your dreams.

Once you understand what's happening in your brain when you try to start something new, you can finally work with it instead of against it.

Let's get unstuck.

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Story of the Week

Here's something most people don't understand about starting anything new: Your brain is running on ancient survival software that treats launching a business the same way it would treat encountering a saber-toothed tiger.

Back when our ancestors lived in caves, trying something new could literally get you killed. Wandering into unfamiliar territory might mean encountering a predator. Challenging the status quo could get you kicked out of your tribe, which was a death sentence.

So our brains evolved a simple survival strategy: When in doubt, don't.

This is why starting feels so hard.

The Three Psychological Barriers to Starting

Understanding why your brain resists starting is the first step to overcoming it. Here are the three main psychological barriers at work:

1. Loss Aversion: Psychologist Daniel Kahneman discovered that humans feel the pain of losing something twice as intensely as the pleasure of gaining something of equal value. When you think about starting something new, your brain immediately focuses on what you might lose (time, money, reputation, security).

This is why "What if I fail?" feels so much more real than "What if I succeed?"

2. The Paradox of Choice: Psychologist Barry Schwartz found that having too many options can actually paralyze us rather than empower us. When you're starting something new, there are infinite possibilities for how to begin, what to focus on, and which direction to take.

Overwhelmed by options, your brain chooses the safest one: Doing nothing.

3. Imposter Syndrome: This is your brain's way of keeping you in your lane. It whispers things like, "Who are you to start a business?" or, "You don't know enough yet," or, "There are already people doing this better than you."

These thoughts might feel like rational self-assessment, but they're actually your ancient survival system trying to keep you from standing out (and potentially getting kicked out of the tribe).

The "Start Scared" Strategy

Instead of waiting for courage to magically appear, try this approach:

1. Acknowledge the Fear: Don't try to eliminate fear — that's impossible and counterproductive. Instead, recognize it as your brain doing its job. Say to yourself: "I notice I'm feeling scared about starting this. That's normal and expected."

2. Reframe the Risk: Ask yourself, "What's the real worst-case scenario here?" Usually, it's much less catastrophic than your brain makes it seem. Then ask: "What's the worst-case scenario of NOT starting?"

3. Take the Smallest Possible Step: What's the tiniest action you could take right now to move forward? Not the optimal action, not the perfect action — just the smallest one. Your brain can handle small.

4. Build Momentum Through Repetition: Each small action you take rewires your brain slightly. Success breeds success because your brain starts to associate "starting" with "surviving" rather than "danger."

Your Starting Challenge

This week, I want you to identify one thing you've been wanting to start but haven't. Then:

1. Name the fear: What specifically is your brain worried about?

2. Shrink the action: What's the smallest possible first step you can take?

3. Set an implementation intention: When and where will you take this step?

4. Tell someone: Share your intention with one person who will check in on you.

Remember, your brain's resistance isn't a bug — it's a feature. It kept your ancestors alive. But in today's world, the biggest risk isn't starting something new — it's never starting at all.

You’ve got this. Here's to outsmarting your own brain!

Quote of the Week

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek."

—Joseph Campbell

SPI News and Notes

The fundamentals of building a sustainable creator business haven’t changed in decades. This Wednesday, June 18th, at 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET, I’ll be speaking at The Creator Business Summit alongside fellow creators who have demonstrated this through years of consistent success. In my session, I’ll share the core principles that have kept my audience engaged for over a decade — the same approach that has kept my business steady while others struggle with every platform shift. Click here to secure your spot for free!

Check out our brand-new email series! First Dollar Formula is a month-long challenge designed to help you earn your first dollar online. It includes personal insights from me, step-by-step instructions, and actionable tasks to guide you all the way to that first sale. And trust me: that first dollar will be the most important one you ever earn. Click here to subscribe to the series!

Ever wondered what it really takes to publish a book? Join me for a live Q&A on Monday, June 23rd, where I’ll share the behind-the-scenes of writing Lean Learning, what I discovered about myself along the way, and the publishing decisions I’d do differently if I had to start over. After that, I’ll open the floor for questions, so you can ask me anything about writing, publishing, or launching your own book! Click here to secure your spot!

This event is hosted in the free space of the SPI Community. If you're not already a member, you’ll be prompted to create a free account to secure your spot.

Cheers,

Pat Flynn

Founder, SPI

Dad Joke of the Week

I am starting a business to teach short people math.

It’s called making the little things count.

(As a short person myself, this one made me literally laugh out loud.)

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