What do The Rolling Stones' Satisfaction, Lady Gaga's Just Dance, and The Beatles' Yesterday all have in common? They were all created in less time than it takes to watch a football match. Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes came out of a soundcheck.
Spending too long on preparation can kill great ideas. The act of getting ready should be enjoyable, but the more time we allocate to it, the more disastrous it often becomes. Think about your best nights out—they were likely the spontaneous ones where you "just popped out" without loads of planning.
This concept applies to any new project or venture, and science backs it up. Here's why starting before you feel fully prepared might be your best strategy.
Our brains are wired for pessimism
Humans possess an innate negativity bias. We fabricate worst-case scenarios when facing uncertainty and perceive problems that don't actually exist. We focus on potential difficulties while ignoring positive possibilities.
Sports psychologists have identified overthinking as the primary cause of athletes choking under pressure. There comes a point where you need to trust your knowledge and training, step onto the pitch, and play the game as it unfolds.
Stress typically stems from "what-if" thinking—catastrophising about unlikely scenarios. When you catch yourself doing this, challenge these thoughts with questions like:
- Why am I so certain this won't go well?
- Is there an equally plausible explanation where things turn out fine?
- Is it just as likely that everything will be okay?
- Where's the evidence for my negative prediction?
Focus through constraints
"You'll never get anything done by planning," said Karl Pilkington. While planning has its place, starting before you're completely ready forces you to concentrate on the most important next step without time for procrastination.
This constraint-based approach often leads to more efficient use of resources. You skip the non-essentials and focus only on what truly matters:
- You don't need a GPS watch to run a marathon.
- You don't need a fancy website to start a business.
The limited preparation time keeps you too focused to dwell on fear. Or at least prevents you from giving fear the attention it would receive during an extended preparation phase when excuses and self-doubt flow freely.
Converting fear to excitement
Fear will always be part of starting something new. It's common and almost no one is immune. But there's a psychological technique that can help: reframing fear as excitement.
Physiologically, fear and excitement produce nearly identical responses:
- Both increase heart rate.
- Both can cause dry mouth.
- Both trigger adrenaline release.
The main difference lies in how we interpret these sensations. By consciously relabelling your "fear" as "excitement," you can transform anxiety into a more positive emotional state.
If your mind resists this reframing, try reasoning with it:
- How would you feel if the opportunity to start this project were taken away?
- Consider the worthwhile outcomes—what will you gain, learn, and how might it positively affect others?
- What advice would you give a friend considering the same start?
Starting sooner also means you'll discover faster if something isn't right for you, allowing you to move on to other opportunities. You wouldn't delay opening a book for fear of not enjoying it—better to start reading and find out.
The power of small beginnings
"Festina lente"—make haste, slowly. This Latin phrase, adopted as a motto by figures ranging from Roman Emperor Augustus to Kikkoman soy sauce, captures an important approach to starting. It's also the wisdom within the tortoise and hare fable.
Focus on your very first step. Don't worry about the entire staircase or what's at the top. Avoid getting carried away with grand visions of success or failure.
Redefine success on your own terms like:
- Just starting is success.
- Trying new things is success.
- Learning is success.
By starting, you create something that belongs to you. People can steal ideas, but they can't steal execution.
As you progress, your comfort zone gradually expands—often so slowly that you won't notice at first. To maintain momentum, regularly remind yourself of how far you've already come. When confidence wavers, take a moment to list everything you've achieved so far, no matter how small.
The importance of support
Sometimes, you reach a point where only two options remain: asking for help or giving up. Choose the former. This isn't about being superhuman—it's about recognising when you need support.
Surround yourself with the right people and cultivate strong, supportive relationships. Let others lift you when needed.
The harsh truth: you'll never re "ready"
The most compelling reason to start before you're ready is simple: perfect readiness is a myth. There will always be more you could learn, more you could prepare, more you could plan.
Waiting until you feel completely ready means you might never begin at all.
Making a start…
The best way to approach any new venture is to:
- Focus on the first step only.
- Start small and slow if needed.
- Challenge catastrophic thinking.
- Convert fear to excitement.
- Define success on your own terms.
- Celebrate small achievements.
- Ask for help when necessary.
The science is clear: starting before you're ready isn't just a motivational cliché—it's a practical approach based on how our minds work. By understanding our tendency toward negativity bias, the psychological similarity between fear and excitement, and the power of focused constraints, we can overcome the paralysis of preparation.
So close this article and start something. The perfect moment you're waiting for doesn't exist—but this one does.