Too many founders get stuck in endless preparation mode. They read books, watch videos, and gather information while their competitors build businesses and serve customers. Their someday turns into never as they sink deeper into research quicksand. But you can’t research your way to success.
Taking imperfect action today leads to more success than perfect planning ever will. Break your research addiction and push into action. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through.
ChatGPT prompts to kick perfectionism and start making money
Get called out on your excuses
Everyone has their reasons for not starting. Good reasons. Logical reasons. Reasons that sound perfectly valid when you explain them to friends. But they’re still excuses. Your business won’t build itself while you collect more information and think about what might go wrong. Success happens when you stop hiding behind knowledge and start creating results.
“You are now my brutally honest mentor who calls out my self-deception. Ask me what goal I’m struggling to achieve. After I respond, mercilessly point out the lies I’m telling myself. Challenge every excuse. Mock my weak justifications. Make me defend my position until I admit the real reason I’m not taking action. Don’t let me off easy – keep pushing until I reach complete honesty about what’s really holding me back. Then help me create an action plan based on this new truth.”
Figure out why you’re not taking action
Research is rarely the real roadblock. Something deeper is holding you back. Fear of failing, fear of judgment, fear of success. Your endless preparation has become comfortable. Taking action means leaving that comfort behind and facing the possibility that your idea might not work. But not acting guarantees failure before you start.
“Now adopt the role of an experienced business coach. Based on what you know about me through our conversations, identify the three most likely reasons I might be stuck in research mode rather than taking action. Look for patterns in how I approach challenges, my concerns, and what topics I keep returning to. For each reason, suggest a specific strategy to overcome this barrier. Be direct and insightful.”
Understand the power of what you know
You know more than you think. Your existing knowledge, combined with your ability to solve problems as they arise, is all you need to get started. Successful entrepreneurs don’t wait for all the answers. They start with what they know and figure out the rest along the way. Your current knowledge isn’t the ceiling of what’s possible. It’s the foundation of what’s next.
“Help me assess the value of what I already know about [your business idea or project]. Ask me 5 questions about my existing knowledge, experiences, and skills related to this area. After each response, highlight the specific value this brings to my project. Then, create an estimate of how far my current knowledge could take me, and identify the top 3 most important things I’ll learn by taking action rather than continuing research.”
Learn to love the unknown
What you don’t know won’t kill you. It will teach you. Uncertainty feels uncomfortable because our brains are wired to avoid it. But that discomfort is where growth happens. The gaps in your knowledge are opportunities to develop the exact expertise you need through real-world experience. Nothing teaches like necessity and action.
“Guide me in reframing my relationship with uncertainty. Ask me about a specific area of my business or project where I feel I need more information before starting. For each concern I share, help me see the opportunity within the unknown. Create a list of 5 potential benefits that could come from embracing uncertainty in this area rather than trying to eliminate it. End with a perspective-shifting statement that transforms how I view the unknown.”
Build while you learn
Research and action aren’t mutually exclusive. You don’t have to choose between learning and doing. Instead, combine both in a continuous cycle of improvement. Start building with what you know now, then learn from what works. Apply those lessons immediately. Repeat. Turn research from a stalling tactic into a powerful tool for growth.
“Create a 30-day action plan that combines learning and doing for my [business idea or project]. For each day, suggest: 1) A small but meaningful action I can take that moves my project forward, 2) A specific learning goal related to that action, and 3) How to apply what I learn immediately. Structure this as a practical calendar with clear daily and weekly targets that balance knowledge acquisition with concrete progress.”
Stop overthinking and start winning now
Your success isn’t hiding in another book, course, or podcast. It’s waiting for you in the real world. Break free from research paralysis and start creating. Get called out on your excuses and uncover what’s really holding you back. The difference between dreamers and doers is taking action. Recognize the power of what you already know and enter the magical unknown.
Access all my best ChatGPT content prompts.
Read the full article here
