“I’ll start next month.“
It’s the most common thing people say when they’re interested in their data entry certification but not quite ready to commit. Next month feels close enough to count as action while being far enough away to avoid the discomfort of actually starting.
But next month becomes next quarter, next quarter becomes next year, and meanwhile the calendar keeps moving. The cost of waiting isn’t just psychological – it’s financial, and the numbers are larger than most people realize.
The Math Nobody Wants to Do
Let’s say certification helps you earn $3 more per hour than you’d make without it. That’s a conservative estimate based on the typical premium certified professionals command over uncertified workers in similar roles.
At $3 extra per hour working full-time:
| Delay | Lost Additional Income |
|---|---|
| 1 month | $480 |
| 3 months | $1,440 |
| 6 months | $2,880 |
| 1 year | $5,760 |
Every month you postpone certification is a month you could have been earning more but weren’t. That money doesn’t come back. It’s not delayed – it’s gone.
And this calculation assumes you’d land a job immediately after completing certification, which takes most people six to eight weeks. Factor in the training time, and waiting six months to start actually costs you closer to eight months of potential higher earnings.
The Opportunity Cost Compounds
Lost income is just the beginning. Waiting also delays everything that follows from having certification and employment in the field.
Experience accumulates over time, and the sooner you start, the more you’ll have when it matters. A year from now, you could have twelve months of professional data entry experience on your resume – or you could still be at zero, wishing you’d started sooner.
Career advancement depends on being in a career to advance. Promotions, raises, new opportunities, and professional growth all require you to be working in the field first. Every month of delay pushes these milestones further into the future.
Skills stay sharper with use. If you complete the data entry certification and immediately start working, you reinforce what you learned through daily practice. Wait too long before applying your training, and you’ll need to review material you’ve already forgotten.
Why People Wait
Understanding why you’re hesitating can help you move past it. Most delays fall into a few common categories.
- “I need to save up first.” Our Professional Course costs $247. If saving $247 would take you six months, the income you’d lose by waiting far exceeds the amount you’re trying to save. Starting now and using the payment plan puts you ahead financially.
- “I’m too busy right now.” There will never be a perfect time. Life doesn’t clear your schedule and announce that you’re ready for change. The people who successfully transition careers are those who start despite being busy, not those who wait for busyness to end.
- “I’m not sure this is right for me.” Valid concern, easy solution. Our 90-day money-back guarantee means you can try the course and get a full refund if it genuinely isn’t a good fit. Waiting to gain certainty you’ll never have costs more than testing your interest directly.
- “I’ll start after [upcoming event].” After the holidays, after this project at work, after summer, after the kids go back to school. There’s always another event on the horizon, and anchoring your start date to external circumstances gives you endless reasons to postpone.
What Starting Now Actually Looks Like
Beginning today doesn’t mean upending your life. It means enrolling, completing the first lesson during a lunch break or after dinner, and proving to yourself that this is doable.
The first unit takes about two hours total, broken into sections you can complete in 20-30 minute sessions. By this time next week, you could be well into the course material and building momentum that carries you through to completion.
Six to eight weeks from now, you could have a professional certification and be actively interviewing for positions. Or you could be in exactly the same place you are today, still thinking about starting “soon.”
The Decision Is Yours
We can’t make you start. But we can show you that waiting has a real cost measured in dollars, opportunities, and time you won’t get back.
The version of you six months from now will either be grateful you started today or frustrated that you didn’t. Which would you prefer?
See if certification fits your goals with our free Course Quiz – it takes just two minutes.
Ready to stop waiting? Our Professional Data Entry Course is $247, includes lifetime access, and comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee.