Written by Jared Dawson, Brainiact Founder and Brainiact Hoxton Park business coach
When business owners tell me they’re stuck, they’re often describing something else: they’ve hit the ceiling of what feels safe. They’re busy – often working harder than ever – but nothing’s really shifting. Leads are inconsistent, margins are tight, and they feel like they’re going in circles.
The truth is, most of the time, you’re not stuck – you’re just avoiding the hard stuff.
Avoidance, not inability
This isn’t a question of laziness or lack of motivation. Most small business owners care deeply and work hard. But they often spend their energy avoiding the exact actions that would create real growth.
Instead of raising prices, they freeze. Instead of firing a poor hire, they rationalise. Instead of picking up the phone, they scroll LinkedIn convincing themselves they’re “networking”.
We avoid the hard stuff because it’s uncomfortable. But the truth is simple: Success is on the other side of discomfort.
Effort doesn’t equal growth
One of the most dangerous assumptions in small business is that working harder automatically means you’re getting ahead. But business doesn’t reward effort – it rewards outcomes.
You can hustle 60–70 hours a week and still stall if you’re avoiding the decisions that drive change. That’s why I often remind business owners: “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Avoidance shows up in systems. Or more often – the lack of them. And that avoidance is usually the root cause of your plateau.
The systems guy who wouldn’t implement
One trades business owner I coached was overflowing with ideas and strategies – but none of them were landing. He’d overanalyse every decision and talk himself out of taking action. It is what I call paralysis by perfection.
To break the pattern, I gave him a clear challenge: raise his prices by 8%, introduce a mandatory job checklist for his crew, and pitch at least one accessory with every quote. He pushed back, of course – the hardest actions are usually the ones we resist the most. But he followed through. And the results spoke for themselves: higher margins, smoother jobs, and consistent upsells. All from finally doing the things he’d been avoiding for months.
The plumbing duo who hid behind “busy work”
I coached two partners running a residential plumbing business who were flatlining around low-margin jobs and average order sizes. Their default excuse? “We’re too busy for growth initiatives.” But the truth was simpler – they were avoiding the uncomfortable stuff: outbound sales and builder outreach.
Together, we implemented three key changes:
- A targeted flyer drop campaign
- Daily tracking of sales activity
- Direct builder outreach with consistent follow-up
It was awkward at first. They didn’t love it. But they pushed through the discomfort. Within three months, they were hitting $80,000 months and landing more profitable work. They didn’t need a new strategy. They needed courage and accountability.
The solo founder who couldn’t find motivation
A service-based founder came to me feeling flat and directionless. He wasn’t lazy – just drifting without momentum or a clear plan. We didn’t start with strategy. We started with rhythm: daily sales actions, weekly targets and one hour of non-negotiable “money work” per day.
That structure was enough. Within six months, he was consistently generating over $100,000 per month. His motivation didn’t come back before he took action – it came because he did.
The builder paralysed by perfection
One building contractor I worked with had a knack for overthinking. His proposals were immaculate – on the rare occasion they were actually sent. But most sat in draft form, endlessly “tweaked”.
I told him something I often say: “Perfectionism is just fear pretending to be a virtue.” He pushed past it. We delegated admin to his VA and built a system: five outbound sales actions per day, done regardless of whether they felt perfect.
The shift? More leads. Faster turnaround. More confidence. Momentum isn’t about being flawless – it’s about being consistent.
The tree services operator who let go to grow
Another business owner, running an equipment-heavy services company, made a bold decision. He invested $100,000 in new machinery without second-guessing. That move marked a shift: from overworked operator to strategic leader.
He began to delegate. He slowed down. He thought long-term instead of staying in technician mode. Sometimes, growth isn’t about pushing harder – it’s about getting out of your own way. That starts by letting go of control, comfort, and the belief that you need to do it all yourself.
You know what you’re avoiding – so face it
Let’s not pretend. You already know the one or two actions you’ve been dodging. It might be:
- making outbound calls
- reviewing your pricing
- fixing that toxic team member dynamic
- asking for help
- stepping out of day-to-day tasks.
You’ve probably been telling yourself you’ll “get to it next week.” You won’t. Not unless you make it unavoidable.
Avoidance doesn’t just slow you down. It costs you revenue, trust, and confidence. It teaches your team to tolerate mediocrity. And over time, it hardens into the business you never meant to build.
Three ways to break the cycle
Here’s how to stop the spiral – and start growing again.
1. Name the hard thing
Write down the uncomfortable task you’ve been putting off. Be specific. Now block time today to take the first step – even if it’s just five minutes. Momentum starts small.
2. Build a system that forces action
Don’t rely on willpower. Create structures – daily time blocks, checklists, recurring reminders – that make doing the hard thing automatic. Let systems protect you from your own excuses.
3. Get accountability that cuts through
Whether it’s a business coach, a mentor, or someone in your corner, you need external eyes on your habits. Someone who can challenge you and say, “I know you don’t feel ready. Do it anyway.”
Discomfort is the price of progress
Running a business isn’t supposed to be comfortable. It’s meant to grow you. If you’re not willing to feel discomfort daily – strategic discomfort, not chaos – then you’re not serious about success.
So, here’s the question: What’s the hard thing you’ve been avoiding? Raise prices? Fire someone? Make the damn call? Whatever it is – do it today. Not next week. Not after another round of busywork. Because if you’re not willing to get uncomfortable, you’re not serious about growth.
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Jared Dawson is a Brainiact business coach with 16 years of global B2B experience. Known for his tough-love approach, Jared helps Sydney business owners reclaim their lives while building businesses that thrive.
