Have you ever caught yourself saying, “When I have enough money, I’ll finally be happy,” or “Once I get that promotion, I’ll start doing those things and living the life I really want”? If so, you’re not alone. It’s an easy trap to fall into — this idea that life is waiting for us on the other side of some tomorrow. But here’s the thing: tomorrow, well that isn’t guaranteed, and that’s why it’s a trap, waiting for the “perfect moment” might just be the biggest mistake we make.
The Stoic philosopher Seneca nailed it when he said, “One thing all fools have in common is they are always getting ready to live.” That stings a bit, doesn’t it? But if we’re honest, how often do we do exactly just that? We pin our happiness on “that someday” and end up pushing life, or the goalpost out further and further away.
The Illusion of “Someday”
We convince ourselves that the future version of us — the one with that dream job we keep thinking about, the perfect body from seeing others’ curated lives on IG, or the picture-perfect life we think is perfect — will somehow have it all figured out. But guess what? That future, well it never arrives, because every time we reach one goal, the next one moves just a little further away. When we think we are keeping up with the Joneses, well then we meet the Millers.
I’ve been guilty of this myself. For years, I told myself I’d write a blog “when I just had the time” or start a new project “when things settled down.” Spoiler alert: they never did. Life doesn’t hand us a perfect moment tied up with a nice pretty big bow. It’s messy and unpredictable, and waiting for perfection is a path to not only to miss out on potential, but it opens the door to future regret.
Why We Wait (And Why It Hurts)
The reason we put things off often boils down to fear. Fear of failing. Fear of looking foolish. Fear of what others will say. Fear of stepping out of our comfort zones. And instead of pushing through resistance and confronting those fears, we distract ourselves by preparing to be perfect or just preparing. “I’ll start when I’m ready,” we tell ourselves, but deep down, we know the truth “ready” is just a convenient excuse to procrastinate.
But here’s the problem: the more we wait, it gets harder, not easier. The longer we delay taking that first step, the more challenging that step feels. And while we’re busy waiting for the stars to align, that is when life is quietly passing us by.
The Solution: Just Start
So, how do we break the cycle? The answer is surprisingly simple: just start.
Not “someday.” Not when we’ve saved enough, learned enough, or prepared enough. Start now, Start today. Right now. The first step doesn’t have to be perfect, and in case you’re wondering we can go ahead and get this out of the way, it won’t be and that’s ok. To be honest, it doesn’t even have to be pretty, it just has to happen.
When I finally pushed through my own resistance and started acting on the things I’d been putting off, something amazing happened. I didn’t magically flip a switch and just felt ready. In fact, I felt pretty uncomfortable at first. But as I kept moving forward, I realized that the act of doing or taking action was what created the clarity, confidence, and momentum that I had been searching for.
Small Steps, Big Changes
It’s easy to think we need to make giant leaps to change our lives, but it’s really about small, but consistent steps. I had someone once tell me, if you want to be great, find a way to just be good consistently and you will be. Want to write that book? Start with a single paragraph. Dream of running a marathon? Lace up your shoes and go for a walk around the block. These tiny actions might not seem life-changing at the moment, but over time, they add up to something extraordinary.
And here’s the kicker: the happiness, fulfillment, and growth you’ve been chasing? They don’t come after you reach the goal. They happen along the way. The journey is where the magic is, and you can’t experience it if you’re stuck at the starting line watching everyone else run off and haven’t even started your race.
Letting Go of Perfection
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that perfection is the enemy of progress, perfection paralysis as it’s called. We get so caught up in wanting things to be flawless that we forget it’s okay to be messy, to make mistakes, even to be crappy, and to figure things out as we go. The people we admire — the ones who seem to have it all together — didn’t wait until they felt ready. They started before they were ready, when it was hard, and that’s what made all the difference.
Your Turn
So, here’s my challenge to you (and to myself, because let’s be real, I’m still working on this too): What’s one thing you’ve been putting off because you’re waiting for the “perfect” time? Whatever it is, take one small step toward it today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today.
Because life isn’t waiting for us to get our act together, to get it all cleaned up so we can put that bow on it, it’s happening right now, in all its messy, imperfect glory. And the sooner we embrace that, the sooner we can stop getting ready to live — and start actually living.