The Push and Pull of Today vs. Tomorrow

Illustration by James Fryer

I’ve been stretching my limits over the past year, probably past them if I’m really honest.

I live and breathe supporting my clients, accompanying them on their journey as they navigate the challenges that come their way in pursuit of growth and success.

At the same time, I’ve been devoting a huge amount of time and energy designing and building my new, on-demand, online training course: Alan Wick’s Business of Finance®. It comprises 12 modules of video content, slide decks, workbooks, spreadsheets, numerous accompanying resources and the nuts and bolts behind the scenes that make it all happen.

A Peculiar Tension

Every entrepreneur will recognise the tension they feel when a new idea glows bright, but the day-to-day reality of running the current business doesn’t get any less demanding.

It’s the push-pull pressure. You’re being pulled toward the promise of growth, creativity, and evolution. But you’re also being pushed by deadlines, team needs, cash flow, and the operational heartbeat of the business you’ve already built and that needs constant sustenance.

It’s exhilarating. And exhausting.

The Spark of the New

Let’s start with the pull. A new initiative - whether it’s a product, a service, a course or

entering a new market - offers a sense of excitement. For many founders I work with, this is their happy place. It’s where imagination runs free, where you can sketch a new vision without constraints.

You start thinking: “What if this works?”

You start building: outlines, prototypes, maybe even a beta version.

You see glimpses of what your business could become.

It’s like starting a new band, with new songs and fresh energy. But then…

The Weight of the Existing

The push soon taps on your shoulder and tugs at your sleeve.

Your existing business plates don’t stop spinning just because your entrepreneurial mind is enticed elsewhere. Customers still need serving. Teams need leading. The show must go on. And all those carefully laid foundations - your values, your culture, your delivery standards - need to be maintained.

You feel the tug: “I can’t let this slip.”

And the drag: “How do I make time for both?”

This is the tightrope. If you lean too far toward the new, the core business might wobble. If you cling too tightly to what already works, the shiny new thing might never take off.

Three Common Pitfalls

• Splitting attention without splitting responsibilities. Many founders try to do it all, failing to delegate parts of the old or the new. It leads to burnout and half-baked progress on both fronts.

• Assuming the new idea can wait. In reality, most new initiatives need early momentum and attention. Delay too long, and the spark fades, or someone else beats you to it.

• Over-correcting. Sometimes we swing too hard towards our new enterprise,

  unintentionally starving our existing business of attention. This can lead to internal friction or financial instability.

How Do You Get it Right?

In my experience, the founders and leaders who handle this tension best and skip

confidently along that tightrope don’t try to eliminate the push-pull. They learn to work with it, like a drummer playing with syncopation - holding two rhythms at once.

A Five-point Road Map to Minimise Those Tightrope Wobbles

1. Create protected time for the new

Block out sacred time to focus on deep work on the new initiative. No meetings, no

distractions. Treat it as a commitment, not an indulgence.

2. Over-communicate with your team

Let them know what you’re doing and why. Share your vision. Invite ownership of the current operations. And make it clear you’re not abandoning ship; you’re charting the next course.

3. Assign a guardian of the existing

If possible, designate someone you trust to keep the current business running smoothly. Give them the authority and tools to make decisions. It could be a COO, a senior manager, or you could even make it a rotating role.

4. Set measurable milestones for both 

Hold yourself accountable to progress in both areas. What gets measured gets momentum.

5. Know when to pause

Sometimes the best way forward is to press pause - on the new, the old, or even both

temporarily, if you need to reset priorities. Just don’t confuse pausing with quitting.

Personal Reflections

During the 12 month development of  Alan Wick’s Business of Finance® training course alongside my existing business coaching practice, I was caught off guard by how much ‘invisible’ time it consumed. The creating, recording, refining. I felt my rhythm slipping. At times, I questioned the whole idea.

But I also knew this was growth knocking at my door. And growth is rarely tidy and it’s never easy.

I made it work by involving others early on, by carving out ‘deep dive’ days, and being ruthlessly honest about what I could let go of in the short term.

Was it smooth? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Looking Inside Yourself

Here’s the deeper truth: this push-pull isn’t just logistical. It’s emotional. Sometimes,

launching something new challenges your identity. The trusted expert becomes the beginner again. The leader becomes the learner. The known becomes the uncertain.

That’s why it can feel so uncomfortable and hard. But that’s also why it means so much.

When you embrace the tension instead of fighting it, when you stay centred in your purpose while adapting your rhythm, you don’t just build a better business. You grow as a founder.

You step into the next iteration of yourself.

If you would like help navigating your push-pull pressures, from someone who’s been there, done that, and understands exactly what you’re going through, get in touch. I’d love to help.