Progress Over Perfection: 10 Steps to Start Before You’re Ready
There’s a certain excitement when you start working toward a goal or any new pursuit. That momentum can carry you for a little while, until you hit a few snags that slow or even stop your progress. Sometimes, this happens in the planning stage, and you never even get started.
We often believe things need to be a certain way or done in a specific order before we begin. And if we don’t meet those internal rules, we freeze. We get stuck. We enter a kind of paralysis that keeps us from moving forward.
But what if I told you that you don’t need everything to be perfectly aligned to get started, or even to succeed?
If that thought makes you cringe, if the idea of starting before everything is in place feels terrifying, then this post is for you.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned over the years is this: just start, do it imperfectly. Whether you start when things feel perfect or messy, the same cycle unfolds: you make mistakes, you fail, you learn… and then you keep going.
One thing I know for sure: you can’t map out your success perfectly. There is no one-size-fits-all path. You can’t copy someone else’s formula and expect identical results. Why? Because every person is different. We each have unique skills, perspectives, and ways of working. So, there are no two identical paths, and there’s no such thing as a perfect one.
Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t learn from a mentor. You absolutely should. But learn, and then move forward, even if you're still doing things imperfectly. Master it as you go. You’ll learn more, and you’ll learn what you specifically need.
In fact, I believe we reach our goals faster and with more alignment when we stop waiting for perfection and simply begin.
10 Powerful Steps to Move Toward Your Goals, Even When You Don’t Feel Ready
1. Adopt the “Ready Enough” Mindset
Truth: You’ll never feel 100% ready.
Action: Ask yourself, “Do I have enough to take the first small step?” If yes, GO.
2. Start Before You’re “Qualified”
Example: Want to write a book? Start with one paragraph today.
Mantra: “Imperfect action beats perfect planning.”
3. Break It Into Tiny, Unsexy Steps
Why: Overwhelm kills momentum.
Try: Focus on a 5-minute version of the task (e.g., “Outline 3 bullet points” instead of “Write entire chapter”).
4. Use the “Do It Scared” Rule
Tip: Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s acting despite it.
Action: Ask, “What’s the smallest thing I can do while feeling afraid?”
5. Leverage “Good Enough” Deadlines
Example: Don’t wait to launch a “perfect” podcast.
Action: Record a 10-minute test episode by Friday.
6. Borrow Confidence from Your Future Self
Exercise: Write a letter from your future self (1 year from now) thanking you for starting messy.
7. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Visual: Track progress with a “Done List” (what you did vs. what’s “undone”).
Quote: “Perfection is the enemy of done.”
8. Seek Feedback Early (Not Validation)
Key Difference: Ask “How can I improve this?” instead of “Do you like this?”
Benefit: Feedback fuels iteration; validation fuels paralysis.
9. Schedule “Imperfect Action” Time
Tactic: Block 15 minutes daily labeled “Messy First Draft Time” (for writing, planning, or creating).
10. Celebrate the “Failures” (Most Important Step!)
Reframe: Every misstep is data.
Ask:
-
What did this teach me?
-
How does this get me closer?
-
How do I need to shift?
Remember: The magic happens in the doing, not the waiting.
Which step will you try first?
One of my favorite reminders when starting something new is this:
The more I fail, the more I succeed.
The more I fail, the more experience I gain.
The more I fail, the more adaptable I become.
Move toward progress, not perfection.
Want more support with this?
I’m hosting a Dream Goal Workshop at the end of July over on my Patreon: Soul Aligned Life.
You can join us here: https://www.patreon.com/c/Tinastinson
Xo,
T
Tina is a Mindset, Success, & Self Care Coach specializing in helping you reconnect with your true self, start dreaming big, and reach those dreams without the burnout!
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