I have a theory about AI adoption: A lot of the slow movement is fear dressed up as a rational business decision.

I hear the rationale in coaching session after coaching session. Our data is too sensitive. The ROI is unclear. We'll move once the tools mature.

Some of those concerns are real, and worth taking seriously.

But, we've watched this movie before. Remember "we innovate better when we're together" and other rationales for going back to the office, circa 2022? Some of that was true. A lot of it was a preference for the familiar, wearing a very tidy business case.

Lest you think I'm pointing fingers from some fear-free perch: I've had all the fears too. AI'll take my job, it'll eat my hard drive, it'll spam my clients.

It reminds me of when I lived in London and ordered a pink velour couch with down cushions. Then I canceled the order. Then I placed it again. Canceled again. Three rounds of this.

My reasons for hesitating were excellent. Too bold for the room. Down cushions are high maintenance. It won't last. Each cancellation felt like prudence.

It was fear. (Or anxiety. They shop in the same closet.)

Here's the twist: some of my concerns were right. The couch is bold. The cushions demand nightly fluffing (yes, nightly). But fifteen years later, it's still my favorite thing in the house. And the one guests comment on most.

That's the part we forget while we're waiting: The concern can be valid and the move can be worth it. Both at once.

Same with AI: It's scary to incorporate new technology. And it's totally changed my business (and my clients').

So here's the test I now use with clients, and on myself: Take your reason for waiting and ask, "if this concern were solved tomorrow, would I start?" If the honest answer is "well, erm...," that's fear talking.

And the good news about fear is that it responds to light actions: moves small enough that there's nothing to be afraid of.

Here's one for this week:

Write down the reason you've given for holding off on that AI thing you've been circling. Maybe it's giving it access to more data. Maybe it's trusting it to do something on your behalf. Find a next step small enough that the fear stays quiet.

One of my early light actions was giving Claude read-only access to my email. Soon enough, I was comfortable enough to let it write, but not send. And the first step with a client was an automation that ran on one contained, low-stakes data set.

It's moving forward in a way your fear can live with that creates momentum. (Something I wish I'd known all those years ago when I was in the sofa showroom, again.)

So find that light action and take it. Better yet, do it with me: I'm hosting 30-minute AI in Action conversations where we take your biggest AI pain point and map your way forward, together. You'll leave with a next step you feel lighter about.