the perfect condition.

"I'll start when everything is perfectly lined up."

It's a comforting lie we tell ourselves – that somewhere in the future, there's a perfect moment waiting for us. A moment when our energy will be just right, our schedule will be clear, and our circumstances will align like stars in the night sky.

Scratch that. 🫵🏽

Starting *is* the perfect condition.

The Perfection Paradox

There's this fascinating concept in Zen Buddhism called "beginner's mind" (shoshin). It suggests that the ideal state for learning and doing isn't perfection – it's being open to starting exactly where you are. Yet we often do the opposite. We wait for:

• The perfect moment to start that business

• The right mood to have that difficult conversation

• The ideal market conditions to invest

• The perfect body shape to join that dance class

• The complete silence to begin meditation

But here's what I've learned: starting *is* the perfect condition.

Think about it. Nature doesn't wait for perfect conditions. Seeds don't check weather forecasts before deciding to sprout. They simply begin, thus by beginning, they create their own conditions for growth.

I learned way more in the past 3 months of business than I did in the past year before from watching Youtube videos and reading books. Simply because I started.

This reminds me of something author James Clear once wrote:

Planning, organizing, and preparing are forms of motion. They make us feel like we're progressing, but they're often elaborate forms of procrastination wearing a productivity costume. 🤡

The Science of Starting

Here's something fascinating: psychological research shows that motivation often follows action, not the other way around. We think we need to feel motivated to start, but usually, we need to start to feel motivated.

It's like pushing a car: it's the hardest to get it moving, but once it's rolling, it gets easier.

When you begin something – anything – your brain releases dopamine, not just when you complete it. The very act of starting, triggers your brain's reward system, creating a positive feedback loop that fuels continued action. 🔁

Your brain is also wired to dislike uncertainty. When you're just thinking about starting something, your mind imagines all sorts of problems that might happen.

But once you actually begin, your brain switches from "what if?" mode to "how to" mode. It stops worrying about potential problems and starts looking for solutions instead. 💡

And there's more – starting small tricks your brain in the best way possible. When you take that first tiny step, your brain thinks, "Hey, this isn't so bad!" Then it starts looking forward to the next step. Before you know it, you're building momentum without even trying too hard.

This is why waiting for motivation is like waiting for a train that may never come. But when you just start – even if you don't feel ready – you're buying your own ticket.

(Me personally, I take discipline over motivation everyday.)

Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, do these 4 things:

1. Embrace the concept of "imperfect action" – make it your new perfect.

2. Set a "start before you're ready" timer: give yourself 5 minutes to begin before your brain can make excuses.

3. Document your starting point – it'll make a great story in your success journey.

4. Find evidence of successful "imperfect starts" in your past.

Remember: Alignment happens through movement, not before it.

The perfect condition isn't a circumstance you wait for – it's a circumstance you create by beginning.

The magic isn't in being ready,

It's in being willing to be terribly, beautifully imperfect.

Start now. Start messy. Start afraid.

Just start.

Godspeed, and have a wonderful week. ⚡️