I’m always hearing aspiring entrepreneurs talk about how uncertain they are. They don’t know what they don’t know. They don’t know where to start. They don’t realize it, but this is normal. Uncertainty is a consistent part of the entrepreneurial journey (and life for that matter). Seasoned entrepreneurs will be the first to tell you they’re constantly encountering things they don’t know, questions they can’t answer.

Uncertainty itself won’t hold you back. Lack of action because of uncertainty will. Action is the foundation of entrepreneurship. Getting things done is what sets entrepreneurs apart from the rest of the population. Entrepreneurs don’t just talk, they do something. Do they have a perfect plan for what they’ll do? Usually not. Do they fully understand what they’re tackling? No.

Certainty is as rare for entrepreneurs as it is for everyone else. There’s no clear path to their goal. The way is fuzzy if they can see it at all. But successful entrepreneurs do a few things well to mitigate uncertainty. They determine the direction they want to head. You hear people talk about the vision entrepreneurs have. That’s because they describe to people where they want to be. Next, they start walking in that general direction. They don’t need a smooth or clear path; they just need to know they’re headed the right way (and have a little faith). Something funny happens: the path and the destination become clearer as time passes and they keep moving.

This weekend, I was chatting with someone and he said something that stood out to me. He was talking about starting a new venture. As you can imagine, the pandemic adds a whole new layer of uncertainty. There are lots of things he doesn’t know, but he knows one thing for sure. “I can’t do nothing.” He hit the nail on the head.

If you want to do something great, don’t let uncertainty stop you in your tracks. Keep walking, no matter how small your steps have to be.