The Myth of Perfect Timing
Waiting for the right moment feels smart. It feels safe. But most of the time, it’s just an excuse to stall. People spend weeks, months, or years over planning something they never actually start.
They think if they wait a little longer, they’ll feel more ready. They won’t.
According to research from the University of Scranton, about 92% of people fail to reach their goals. One big reason? They overplan and underact. The longer you wait, the heavier the idea gets. It starts to feel too big to start at all.
Overthinking Is the Real Roadblock
Planning is useful. But after a point, it becomes a way to avoid action. You start asking questions you can’t answer without doing the thing first.
You imagine problems that don’t exist yet. You start doubting your original idea. You research more. You make new spreadsheets. You wait.
A lot of people think failure is the main enemy of progress. It’s not. It’s analysis paralysis.
Bradley Hisle, a healthcare entrepreneur, once said he had a habit of trying to predict every outcome before he acted. He ended up stuck. “I wanted to launch something but kept holding back,” he explained. “Eventually, I realized I wasn’t getting smarter—I was just getting scared in more organized ways.”
No One Is Actually Ready
Ask any founder, writer, artist, or athlete. They’ll tell you the same thing. They weren’t ready when they started. They figured it out while moving.
Being ready is a feeling, not a fact. It comes after you begin—not before.
The problem is, we confuse preparation with progress. You can prep forever and still be in the exact same spot.
Starting makes things real. Once it’s real, you can improve it. Tweak it. Adapt it. But until then, it’s just an idea in your head that no one else can see.
The Startup Trap
In the startup world, this problem shows up all the time. People write 60-page business plans before they test one part of their idea. They pitch investors without even proving someone wants what they’re selling.
According to CB Insights, 35% of startups fail because there’s no market need. That means they spent too much time planning something they never validated.
A better approach? Test a small piece of the idea now. Not next month. Now.
Create a rough version. Ask a friend to try it. Build one page. Record one video. Charge one customer. Get one real reaction. That’s data planning can’t give you.
Clarity Comes From Action
When you move, your brain starts working differently. You start seeing what matters and what doesn’t. You stop guessing.
Action gives you clarity faster than research ever will.
Let’s say you want to start a podcast. Instead of waiting until you have the perfect mic, perfect artwork, and perfect intro music—record one episode on your phone. See how it feels.
You’ll learn more in that first 30 minutes than in 30 hours of prep.
Perfection Is a Disguise
Perfectionism isn’t about high standards. It’s about fear.
Fear of judgment. Fear of doing it wrong. Fear of not being good enough.
It sounds smart to say, “I’m just waiting until it’s ready.” But what you’re really saying is, “I’m scared this won’t be good.”
Here’s the truth: It won’t be good. Not at first. But it will get better. That’s how everything works.
Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, once said: “If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” He’s right.
What You Can Do Today
Here’s how to break the overplanning habit:
1. Shrink the Idea
Make it smaller. What’s the 10-minute version of what you want to build? Do that first. You don’t need a full launch. You just need momentum.
2. Set a Short Deadline
Give yourself 48 hours to ship something. Anything. Not the final product. Just the first proof. Pressure helps you stop overthinking.
3. Get Feedback Fast
Share it with one person. Not the internet. Not your whole network. One person. Ask what confused them. What they liked. What they’d fix.
4. Repeat It
Start. Adjust. Repeat. That’s the loop. Every time you go through it, you learn. You improve. You stop fearing the beginning.
5. Track Output, Not Intentions
Forget goals like “launch soon.” Set goals like “create three drafts” or “send to five people.” Output is what moves you forward.
Real Success Starts Messy
The people you admire didn’t wait. They started. They figured it out while doing it.
Their first product flopped. Their first pitch was awkward. Their first sale was tiny. But they started. That’s what made them different.
You don’t need more time. You need less fear.
Start before you’re ready. Because the truth is, you’re never ready—and that’s how you know you’re close.