Most people spend their lifetime anticipating the ideal moment to get things going. They tell themselves that they will begin once everything is in their favor, or that they’ll start once they’re in the right mood or have everything in their ideal conditions. But what if that ideal moment never occurs? The reality is that there is no ideal moment—just moments that we make worthwhile through actions.
Waiting Leads to Nothing
Let us consider a farmer who won’t plant crops unless weather conditions are ideal. Sometimes it is too warm, other times it is too chilly, and other times it is windy. If the farmer waits for ideal weather conditions to set foot in the field, crops won’t ever get planted, and harvests won’t ever materialize. This is true for life as well. Individuals who wait for ideal conditions to implement a project, pursue their dreams, or make adjustments in their lives typically get to stay in the same positions while things go by unnoticed.
Life is not predictable. There will always be excuses to hold off on things but simultaneously excuses to start things as well. Individuals who start things despite not knowing exactly where things might go or how things might turn out are individuals who make things happen.
Action Shapes Outcomes
There is a common belief that success comes to those who are fully prepared. But preparation alone is not enough—action is what creates success. A writer does not become great by thinking about writing; they become great by writing. A business does not grow by waiting for the right economy; it grows because someone took the risk to start. A relationship does not deepen by waiting for the right moment to express love; it grows because someone decided to be vulnerable.
Action shapes outcomes. The people who achieve their goals are not necessarily the smartest or the most talented. They are the ones who took action, even when they were unsure.
The Illusion of Readiness
Many people believe they must feel ready before taking a big step. But readiness is an illusion. If you ask successful people, they will often tell you they did not feel fully prepared when they started. They learned along the way.
Think about someone who wants to start a business but keeps delaying because they feel they need more knowledge. If they never begin, they will never gain the experience they need. The same applies to any goal. The best way to prepare is to start.
Fear of Failure
One reason people wait for the perfect moment is fear of failure. They worry about making mistakes, looking foolish, or not being good enough. But failure is part of growth. No one succeeds without facing setbacks.
A musician won’t play perfectly in a day. They play wrong notes, have poor rhythm, and mess things up. And yet things improve by practice and by passing of time. Same for every other activity or goal in life. To improve at it, you must make errors willing to make errors.
Design Your Own Moments
Rather than allowing things to work themselves out in life, create moments for yourselves. If you would like to create a new habit, do not hold off for Monday or next week—start now. If you would like to work on that passion project that has been on your mind lately, do not hold off to have confidence—start now.
Moments turn in to special moments due to how we fill them. Today’s choice has power to set things in motion for tomorrow. Your biggest moments in life aren’t found—they are created.
Conclusion
There is no ideal start time. There is no perfectly set situation for you to walk in to. The people who make their objectives aren’t the ones who hold off for everything to go exactly right. They are ones who take that leap of faith even if all of their ducks aren’t in a row yet.
If everything has to go perfectly before you start, you might not start at all. The moment that you get moving, that is where your journey actually begins.
Image credit(Sahil Bloom)
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