If we wait until we have everything perfect - we may never get started
There is a quiet myth many of us carry: that before we act, we must be ready; before we change, we must be certain; before we step forward, everything must be perfectly aligned. We wait for confidence to arrive, for clarity to settle, for fear to disappear. And while we wait, life keeps moving.
Change, however, rarely comes from perfection. It comes from willingness.
So often we postpone change because we believe we are not “enough” yet; not healed enough, not knowledgeable enough, not brave enough.
We tell ourselves that when things calm down, when we feel more certain, when the timing is better, then we will begin. But that moment rarely arrives, because growth doesn’t happen in stillness. It happens in motion.
As Barack Obama so powerfully said:
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
These words remind us that change is not something that happens to us ~ it is something that begins within us. Not when we are perfect, but when we are present and willing.
There is a kind of courage in beginning before you feel ready. In taking the next step even when your voice shakes or your plans feel unfinished. In allowing yourself to be a work in progress rather than a finished product. Real change doesn’t ask us to have all the answers; it asks us to listen, to learn, and to keep moving forward.
Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is permission ~ permission to evolve.
Permission to not be the same this year as we were last year.
Permission to let go of old beliefs, habits, or versions of ourselves that no longer fit.
Permission to grow, even if that growth looks messy or uncertain from the outside.
We often speak about becoming “a better person,” as though it means striving endlessly or fixing what is broken. But becoming better doesn’t mean becoming perfect. It means becoming more aware. More compassionate. More aligned with our values. It means noticing where we can soften, where we can learn, and where we can choose differently next time.
Progress is not always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it is quiet and deeply personal. It might look like setting a boundary you once avoided. Speaking kindly to yourself where criticism once lived. Choosing rest instead of pushing. Taking responsibility without shame. Trying again without punishing yourself for past attempts.
Change unfolds through these small, brave moments.
And yes, there may be times when looking back reveals missteps or choices we’d now make differently. But that doesn’t mean we failed. It means we grew. Each version of ourselves was doing the best it could with the awareness and tools it had at the time. Honouring that truth allows us to move forward without dragging guilt behind us.
The truth is, we are meant to change. To expand. To outgrow. To refine who we are becoming. Staying the same year after year is not a sign of stability; often, it is a sign of fear. Growth asks us to loosen our grip on certainty and trust that forward movement, however imperfect, is better than standing still.
So if you are waiting for the “right” moment, consider this your invitation to begin now, gently, imperfectly, honestly. You do not need to have everything figured out. You only need to be willing to take the next small step in the direction of who you want to become.
Because change doesn’t come from waiting for perfection.
It comes from choosing progress.
And from giving yourself permission to evolve.
At our recent Tropic national meeting Susie Ma brought a new encouraging affirmation that really resonated with me 'Courage before Confidence' and that really is what giving yourself permission to evolve is about isn't it? Stepping out of our comfort zone and embracing courage in order to become more confident about creating the change we want to make in ourselves, in our lives, in our business.
Wishing you every success in your journey,
Debs