Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today I want to talk about having a plan – because without knowing where you are going, how can you ever get to where you want to go?
Today’s Quote: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Today we’re continuing the conversation around what actually helps your VA business grow.
In the last episode, we talked about why your business might not be growing right now, even if you’re putting in the effort. And one of the things I touched on was the idea that a lot of VAs are busy… but not necessarily moving forward.
So today, I want to go deeper into that, because there’s a specific reason this happens, and it’s something I see all the time.
Most VAs don’t actually have a simple, clear plan for their business.
They’re trying things, they’re learning, they’re taking action in different ways, but it’s not connected. It’s not structured. And because of that, it’s very hard to build real momentum.
It can even keep you stuck, or worse, moving backwards – because trying things can lead to shiny object syndrome, and that’s what we need to avoid to make sure we are moving forward.
So in this episode, we’re going to talk about the simple plan most VAs are missing, why it matters so much, and how having one can completely change the way your business feels and grows.
Why Trying Things Isn’t The Same As Having a Plan
Let’s start with what’s happening for a lot of VAs right now. Maybe it is happening to you.
You’re not doing nothing. In fact, you’re probably doing quite a bit. You’re learning from podcasts, maybe taking courses, watching what other VAs are doing, tweaking your services, updating your profiles, and trying different ways to find clients. And all of that feels productive. It feels like you’re working on your business. Busy means you are trying, right?
But the problem is that “trying things” is not the same as following a plan.
When you’re just trying different strategies without a clear direction, it becomes very easy to jump from one thing to another. You might post consistently for a week or two, then stop. You might start reaching out to potential clients, then second-guess yourself and pull back. You might adjust your services multiple times because you’re not sure what’s right.
Without a plan, everything feels a bit scattered. And when your actions are scattered, your results will be too.
A plan creates focus. It helps you decide what actually matters right now, so you’re not constantly questioning whether you should be doing something else.
I always tell you that writing things down is important, and a big part of the reason it is important is that it helps you focus on what you need to do.
No guessing, but an actual strategy. A process. A goal. An action step. Many action steps. A plan.
What A Simple Plan Actually Does For You
When I talk about having a plan, I don’t mean something complicated or overwhelming. In fact, the more simple it is, the better. Many plans fail because they are too complicated, too heavy, too much.
A good plan gives you three things: clarity, direction, and consistency.
Clarity means you know what you’re offering, who you’re speaking to, and how you’re positioning yourself. You’re not rewriting your services every week or wondering how to explain what you do. You’ve documented it, and now you just have to put it into practice. Into conversations.
Direction means you know what actions to take. Instead of asking yourself, “What should I be doing today?” you already have an answer. You have a small set of activities that you know will move your business forward. This is the guts of the plan. The stuff you do every day to move towards the goal.
And consistency is what comes from having those first two pieces in place. When you’re clear on what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, it becomes much easier to show up regularly and follow through. It’s never about doing hours of stuff at once. It’s about doing a little, every day, and when you do it becomes a habit. A new routine!
This is where momentum starts to build.
Because instead of starting over every week, you’re building on what you did the week before.
How Lack of Structure Leads to Overwhelm and Inconsistency
Now let’s talk about what happens when you don’t have that structure.
Without a plan, everything starts to feel like an option. And while that might sound freeing, it actually creates a lot of mental noise.
You wake up and think,
“Should I be posting today?”
“Should I be reaching out to clients?”
“Should I be working on my website?”
And because there’s no clear answer, you either try to do everything… or you end up doing very little.
This is where overwhelm starts to creep in.
It’s not necessarily because you have too much to do. It’s because you don’t have a clear way to prioritize what matters most. That leads to inconsistency.
You might have a really productive day where you feel motivated and get a lot done, followed by several days where you’re unsure, overthinking, or avoiding the harder tasks. And over time, that inconsistency slows everything down.
It’s hard to build a business on inconsistent action, even if that action feels strong in the moment.
Structure removes a lot of that mental load. It gives you a framework to follow so you’re not constantly making decisions from scratch.
Structure helps you break things down into meaningful, manageable tasks, so you aren’t ever overwhelmed.
I teach this to VAs all the time and when they actually start doing it, they notice a huge shift in their energy, their progress, and their momentum.
A Plan Builds Confidence Faster Than Motivation Ever Will
This is something that ties directly into the work I do around confidence, and it’s really important to understand.
A lot of people rely on motivation to take action. They wait until they feel inspired, energized, or ready.
Or at least that’s the excuse they give me when I ask them about it! They have to wait till they learn something else, or organize something else, or finish something else. They think it has to feel right before they start.
But motivation comes and goes. It’s not something you can depend on. It is something you can build, but it’s not the thing that will get you moving.
A plan, on the other hand, gives you something to follow even when you don’t feel like it.
A great plan will also allow for different energy levels, so you are always moving forward even if it’s just baby steps today. And when you follow through on your plan, especially on the days when it feels a bit harder, you start to build trust with yourself.
You prove to yourself that you can be consistent. That you can take action. That you can keep going. That’s what builds confidence.
Not just thinking about what you could do, but actually doing it, over and over again, in a way that feels manageable.
This is why structure and confidence are so closely connected.
When you have a plan, you don’t have to rely on how you feel in the moment. You have something steady to come back to, and that creates a sense of stability in your business.
It’s so much better to stop relying on how you feel. I can’t stress this enough. Feelings come and go. And they are not the thing you should rely on to do business stuff.
Because honestly there will be days that you do not feel like doing something. And you still have to. So plans are much better!
Do You Need Help?
If you’ve been feeling like you’re doing a lot but not seeing the results you want, I want you to consider this:
It might not be about working harder.
It might be about having a clearer, simpler plan that actually guides your actions.
Like I said, a plan that allows for high energy days and lower energy days. I think that part is SO important!
Because when you have that, everything starts to feel different.
You spend less time overthinking.
You take action more consistently.
You start to see progress, which builds confidence, which leads to even more action.
And that’s how momentum is created.
This is exactly what we focus on inside Booked & Busy Bootcamp.
Over 90 days, we take all of the guesswork out of what you should be doing and give you a simple, structured approach to growing your VA business.
You’ll get really clear on your services, take consistent action to attract and connect with clients, and build confidence along the way. Not in theory, but through real actions and r3al progress.
So instead of trying to piece everything together on your own, you have a plan that actually works and support to help you follow through.
If that’s what you’ve been needing, I’d love for you to join me in this group.
It’s learning, it’s practicing, it’s networking, it’s taking action, it’s getting feedback and improving, it’s accountability, and it’s fun!
And it’s very affordable. You can check out the details at YourVAMentor.com/links.
It’s called Booked and Busy Bootcamp. 12 weeks of weekly training and coaching to get you moving to where you want to go.
If you have questions about whether this group is for you, DM me and let’s talk about it!
And remember, your business doesn’t grow because you try more things. It grows because you follow a clear plan, stay consistent, and build momentum over time.
Thank you so much for being here with me today on The Ridiculously Good VA Show.
Thanks for tuning in today. I’ll see you next time!