A few months ago, I found myself staring at my laptop screen, a blinking cursor mocking me from an empty document. I had a project idea I’d been daydreaming about for months—a blog, podcast, or maybe just an Instagram account where I could share stories that felt real. But every time I sat down to start, I’d convince myself I wasn’t ready. The idea wasn’t polished. I didn’t have the right gear. The timing wasn’t right.
So, I’d close the laptop and retreat to my phone, scrolling through content other people were brave enough to create. It was frustrating and, honestly, kind of embarrassing. I started to wonder: Why was I so afraid to just start?
It wasn’t until a friend made an offhand comment that everything clicked. “Waiting for perfect is the fastest way to never do anything,” she said. It sounded obvious, but it hit me hard—because that’s exactly what I was doing.
The Illusion of “Ready”
We all have our own version of “ready.” It might look like buying all the equipment before trying a new hobby or taking just one more course before launching a business. Mine was the belief that my idea had to be fully formed before I could begin. I told myself that was smart—that planning was the responsible thing to do. But deep down, I knew I was stalling.
Here’s the thing about “ready”: it’s a moving target. The more you prepare, the more you realize what you don’t know. The bar keeps shifting, and soon, it feels safer to stay in the realm of preparation than risk jumping in and failing.
But here’s a hard truth I had to learn the long way: being ready is a myth. You don’t figure things out before you start; you figure them out while you start.
Embracing the “Player One” Mindset
When I finally decided to stop waiting, I thought about it like a video game. In games, you don’t begin with all the tools, weapons, or skills you need. You start with what you’ve got—maybe just a basic sword or the ability to jump. You figure out the rest as you go. Every level teaches you something new. Every challenge makes you a little stronger.
This “Player One” mindset completely changed the way I approached starting something new. Instead of waiting to master the game before I even pressed play, I started asking: What’s the smallest move I can make right now? Not tomorrow, not when I feel like it—right now.
For me, it was as simple as writing one post and sharing it with a friend. It wasn’t perfect. I didn’t even know if it was good. But it was a move, and that was enough.
The Messy Middle Is Where the Magic Happens
Starting isn’t the hardest part—it’s sticking with it when things get messy. And they will get messy. Your first attempts will probably be rough. You might feel embarrassed. You might second-guess every choice. That’s the part no one tells you about: the middle is supposed to be awkward.
When I started sharing my writing, I quickly realized how much I didn’t know about formatting, SEO, or even how to hit the right tone. It felt overwhelming. But instead of quitting, I let myself mess up. I treated every mistake like a checkpoint in the game—just another step closer to leveling up.
The best part? The more I created, the easier it became to embrace the imperfections. People didn’t care that my website wasn’t polished or my posts weren’t perfectly worded. They cared about the stories I was telling.
What Happens When You Hit “Start”?
Now, a few months later, I look back at that blinking cursor with a mix of gratitude and regret. Gratitude because I finally moved past it. Regret because I wasted so much time waiting for perfect when I could’ve been growing, learning, doing.
The funny thing is, starting hasn’t led to some magical, polished version of my project. It’s still messy and evolving, and there are days I wonder if I’m on the right track. But I’ve realized that’s not the point. The real growth happens in the doing—in the willingness to show up imperfectly and figure things out as you go.
Your Turn: Start Small, Start Messy, Just Start
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start that thing you’ve been dreaming about, this is it. You don’t need perfect timing, fancy tools, or a master plan. You just need one small move—a single step to turn “someday” into “today.”
Maybe it’s writing the first paragraph of your book. Maybe it’s signing up for that pottery class or posting your first video. Whatever it is, hit “start.” Let it be messy. Let it be awkward. Let it teach you what you need to know. Because the only way to get where you want to go is to begin—imperfect, unready, and unstoppable.
