The Best Time to Start is Now
"The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The second best time is today." — Chinese Proverb
Sometimes the truth is a cliché.
If you’ve been toying with the idea of creating an online course or coaching program, it's easy to think, “If only I’d started sooner, years ago, I’d be so much further along.”
But while we can’t change the past, we can control what we do today. And today really is the best time to take action.
If you're on the fence about launching, let me lay out four reasons why there’s no better time than now to get started.
1. The Online Learning Industry Is Growing Rapidly
In recent years, the demand for online education has exploded. Since the pandemic taught us that we CAN learn online, the market for online courses is projected to exceed $300 billion globally by 2026. People are actively looking to upskill, pivot careers, and pursue personal growth, all from the convenience of their homes. And they’re turning to online courses to achieve this.
This trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. More companies and individuals than ever are seeking flexible, self-paced learning options. By starting your course today, you can tap into this rising wave of demand. The longer you wait, the more saturated the market becomes, but by getting in now, you’ll take advantage of a rapidly growing field.
2. You Don’t Need to Be Perfect—Just Get Started
Many people delay launching because they feel that they don’t know enough or that their course needs to be flawless.
But here's a little-known fact: your first version does not have to be perfect. In fact, most successful course creators will tell you that their initial launch was just a starting point. The best courses evolve over time.
What matters most is that you get your course out there and start helping people. By launching now, you give yourself the opportunity to gather feedback from your first students. This feedback will be invaluable in refining and improving your course.
Done is better than perfect, and progress beats perfection every time.
When I drive at night I can’t see everything I can see in the day. But I can see enough to drive, and my lights are bright enough to pick out the next section of the path ahead. It’s the same with trying anything new.
3. You Already Have Valuable Knowledge to Share
Let’s focus on you for a moment.
You have experiences, skills, and insights that others would find valuable. Whether you’ve mastered a specific craft, overcome a challenging experience, or honed a set of skills through years of work, there are people out there who can benefit from what you know.
Right now, people are actively searching for solutions to problems that you’ve already solved. They’re eager for guidance, inspiration, and strategies that you have to offer.
But none of that potential will be realized if you keep waiting for the “perfect” time. By starting today, you’ll unlock new possibilities—not only for yourself but also for the people who are waiting for the knowledge you can provide.
One of the men I coach has a passion for passing on his skills to the next generation of fathers. He’s shaping a program that will help them overcome overwhelm and be the best husbands, dads, and employees or business owners that they can be. He’s going to leave a legacy of men who’ve changed their lives and families by investing in themselves and getting on top of the challenges of being a man today.
4. Take Control of Your Future and Your Income
Let’s be honest: most traditional jobs limit you to trading hours for dollars (pounds, euros, whatever!). Whether it’s a standard 9-to-5, freelance work, or even running a service-based business, your income is tied to the number of hours you can work.
The only way to break that cycle is to develop an asset that generates income. Property does that but it’s expensive to start. Stocks and Shares do that but you need the cash to invest in the first place.
But digital assets—like an online course—are cheap to create (and in many cases free) and can generate income over a long period of time. Yes, there’s some initial cost but it’s far, far lower than other asset classes.
By building a course, you’re creating an asset that can generate income long after it’s been launched. Once it’s live, it can keep working for you even when you’re not actively involved.
This opens up a pathway to passive income (or as I now prefer to call it ‘automated income’), giving you more time for the things that truly matter to you.
The best part? The earlier you start, the sooner you can begin reaping these rewards. A year from now, you could be looking back, thankful that you took the leap today.
Today Is the Best Day to Start
In the words of the proverb, the best time to build an online course was ten years ago, but the second-best time is now.
So if you’ve been contemplating launching that online course, today is your day. The conditions will never be “perfect,” but perfection is a myth. What matters is starting.
Take the leap, put yourself out there, and start making progress. You have so much to gain—both for yourself and for the people you’ll serve.
How Can I Help?
1. Join My FREE Facebook Group
Become part of a community of aspiring coaches, mentors and course creators in the Online Course & Coach Accelerator group. Here we share resources, answer questions, and provide feedback to help you grow. Join us here.
2. Sign Up for my FREE Impact & Income Accelerator Workshop
Join my FREE Impact & Income Accelerator Workshop where you'll understand what it takes to create lasting impact and generate increasingly passive income through online courses. More information here.