The Readiness Checklist: Are You Prepared for Your Next Business Transformation?

I'm thrilled you're here for another insightful edition of the ADHD-ish Podcast newsletter. This week, we're focusing on a topic that resonates with many of us who are trying to balance our ambitions with the realities of timing and readiness.

If you're at a place in your business where you're contemplating pivoting to a different target market, rebranding because your focus has expanded, changing your service offerings, or reconfiguring your team—this episode is for you.

One of the most important questions you can ask yourself is, "Am I truly ready?" Often, I see individuals investing time and money making changes without achieving the desired results because they either didn't ask the right questions or chose to ignore the answers. So, let's break it down.

Wishing vs. Being Ready

The wishing phase is characterized by certain feelings and behaviors. Here are some signs you might still be in the wishing phase:

• Constantly checking for productivity tips but never implementing them.
• Purchasing planners or apps that never go beyond a digital download.
• Feeling envious of other people's success while believing you could never do that.
• Experiencing shame spirals after failed attempts.
• Making big plans during a dopamine high but abandoning them soon after.

If you're nodding your head to any of the above, you might be wishing rather than genuinely ready.? But, don’t give up, keep reading.?

When you're truly ready, your thinking and feeling shift dramatically. Here’s what readiness looks like:

Pain Point has Peaked

Your business challenges are actively affecting your ability to earn revenue and profit. You're losing clients or opportunities, and the emotional toll is unsustainable.

Self-Talk Changes

You start asking, "What's the first step I can take?" rather than focusing on past failures.

Acceptance of Discomfort

You understand that change may feel worse before it feels better and are prepared to push through it.

Iterate and Adjust

You’re ready to implement imperfectly, knowing that partial progress is still progress.

It can be hard to determine real readiness from wishful thinking on our own, so I have added a self assessment checklist to make it easier.? After all, none of us can be fully objective about our own mindset and motivations, no matter how self aware we are.?

It’s time to evaluate yourself in three categories of readiness: Emotional, Practical, and Support.

Emotional Readiness:

On a scale of 1 to 5, rate the following:

"I'm more frustrated by staying the same than by changing."

"I can talk about my challenges without excess shame."

"I'm willing to invest time and money and accept that the process won't be linear."

Practical Readiness:

Identify specific pain points.

Ensure you have the minimum necessary resources and bandwidth.

Have realistic expectations about the timeline.

Support Readiness:

Inform at least one person who knows about your goals.

Identify potential accountability partners.

Consider if you need professional support like a graphic designer or market researcher.

Are ready to communicate changes and progress to relevant stakeholders.

Moving from Wishing to Ready

If you realize you aren’t as ready as you thought, that's okay. It’s better to identify this now rather than wasting resources. Here are steps to get yourself ready:

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Write down the costs of staying the same versus the benefits of change.

Micro Commitments

Start with a small, specific action and commit to a daily practice.

Safety Nets

Set up fallback procedures and support systems.

Avoid Magical Thinking

Watch out for these signs of wishful thinking:

• Waiting for the right time.
• Believing you need more information to start.
• Expecting conditions to be perfect.
• Waiting for a burst of motivation.

If you're dealing with major life transitions or extreme stress, it’s smart to pause and regroup. However, if you're only waiting for convenience, it’s time to act.

Your Next Steps

Ask yourself these questions:

• What’s the smallest step I can take today?
• What support do I need to sustain it?
• How will I handle setbacks?
• What do I want this to look like in 30 days?

I hope this helps you move from wishing to doing. Feel free to share your thoughts and progress with me. Check out the show notes for more resources and let’s make those dreams a reality.

Until next time, stay driven! I walk and talk you through the entire framework in this week’s episode of the podcast, so If you’d like to listen to the full interview on ADHD-ish Podcast, click here. DM me and let me know your thoughts!