Awhile back I was chatting with a young woman who was looking for some answers. She was curious to know how I went about becoming a social entrepreneur and how I have managed to do it in such a way that allows me to define and achieve success.
How had I managed to put my PASSION into ACTION? She wanted a formula. A set of tried and true steps that she too could take to be an effective and fulfilled individual. I could offer neither because mine has not been a straight path and like the best road trips, I had no map but a direction in mind and the freedom to detour.
I asked her: “Why not just start? Start now. You have the passion, the talent, the ambition. You have all the information you need. Start!” She responded: “But I’m not 100% ready yet.”
So that was it. She felt about 90% ready to jump in with both feet and give it her all but was waiting to feel that last 10% of readiness and confidence.
Guess what? The last 10% doesn’t exist. And if you wait for it, you may find yourself waiting forever.
Waiting for the last ten percent is the difference between one person who has the ideas, energy, skills, and capacity to create his/her own future but DOESN’T and the one who has all of that and DOES.
Trust me when I say that success is not found in ideas or conversation. It is all about the follow-through. Action.
And no matter how many motivational speakers try to tell you that they have discovered the 10 step plan to making dreams a reality, the one thing that debunks all of their theories and programs is that at the end of the day, it is up to you to do the work.
So if I can offer any advice it would be: Don’t wait for the last ten percent. If you are feeling 90% ready to do something, I congratulate you. Start now.
That’s absolutely true! The 10% is that leap of faith and belief that what you want to do has to be done. Most people will never take that leap, and thats why being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. If anything, I’d say success is not guaranteed, small failures are, and she’ll learn from each failure. But either she believes or not. (and I say this from my secure, fully unionized permanent 9-5).