How to take a leap of faith before you're ready

We explore why “ready” is often a mirage, how fear and excitement share the same roots, and why one small step beats perfect timing. Research, personal stories, and real-world examples give you a simple path to act with courage and clarity.

• waiting as the hidden trap that stalls change
• fear and excitement as twin signals for growth
• personal stories on podcasting, motherhood, and career shifts
• mindset shift from perfect to possible with tiny steps
• process visualization to build resilience and confidence
• safety nets that support without delaying action
• anchoring in your why during the messy middle
• real-world examples from Oprah, Elon Musk, and Sarah Blakely
• reflection prompt to choose one small step today

If you found value in this episode, I encourage you to follow, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need a little nudge to jump

Chapters

• 0:00 Why Readiness Is a Trap
• 0:53 Redefining Ready With Research
• 1:36 Personal Beginnings and Early Stumbles
• 2:27 Fear and Excitement: Biological Twins
• 3:11 Motherhood, Identity, and Transformation
• 3:27 Practical Steps to Leap Wisely
• 4:35 Real-World Leaps and Patterns
• 6:57 Reflect, Choose One Step, Build Momentum
• 7:59 Invitation to Act and Closing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hi, welcome back to the Self-Help Podcast, your safe space to unpack life's chaos, one story, one lesson, one moment at a time, and the Pali. And today we are diving into a topic that terrifies and excites so many of us. Taking a leap of faith before you feel ready. If you're anything like me, the idea of jumping into the unknown can feel paralyzing. We wait for the right time, the perfect circumstances, the moment when we are fully prepared, and yet that moment rarely comes. Today I want to explore why waiting might actually be the trap, why your fear is a compass pointing to growth, and how to embrace the leap even when the ground beneath you feels shaky. I'll share research, personal stories, real life examples, and quotes that will make you rethink what it truly means to be ready. Let's jump in. First, let's talk about readiness. The truth is, very few people ever feel fully ready for a big change. Think about every major life milestone. Quitting a stable job to pursue a dream, moving to a new city or a new country, starting a business, saying yes to love, getting over a heartbreak, listening into your gut or intuition. Research from Dr. Hedy Grant, a social psychologist, shows that people often overestimate the preparation they need and underestimate their ability to adapt. In other words, we think we need to know everything. But what really matters is your willingness to start with the first time. Let me share a personal story. I remember the moment I decided to start this podcast, I had no idea if people would listen. I didn't have a perfect setup, I still don't. My voice shook the first time I hit the record button. I think I recorded my first episode three times, only to never publish it. But I took the leap anyway. And here I am, months later, speaking with all of you. And it's just not me. Consider Sarah Blakely, the founder of SPACs. She started with$5,000 and zero experience. She didn't wait until she had a perfect business plan or an MBA. She started, I traded, and learned along the way. The lesson. The lesson here is readiness is often an illusion. Waiting for it can keep you stuck longer than any fear ever would. Fear is often a signal, not a stop sign. Research from neuroscientists show that the part of your brain that triggers fear lights up when we step into an unknown territory. Your brain is essentially saying, hey, this is new, pay attention. But here's the plot twist. The areas that light up when we feel fear are exactly the same areas that activate when we feel excitement. So fear and excitement are biological twins running on the same energy. Think of J.K. Rowling. She faced rejection after rejection before Harry Potter was even published. She didn't let fear of failure stop her. Instead, she acknowledged it, leaned into the discomfort, and created a world that has inspired millions and millions. I want to share another personal example here. When I became a mum, I was terrified. My body, my career, and even my sense of identity felt challenged. But I leaned into it. I said yes to the unknown. And although it was messy and imperfect and very overwhelming at times, it transformed me. Here's a quote from Rumi that I love: don't get lost in your fear. Know that one day your fear will become your greatest strength. Your fear is not the enemy, it's your guide. So, practically speaking, how do you take a leap of faith before you're ready? Let's break it down into actionable steps. Number one, shift your mindset from perfect to possible. Reading for perfection keeps most dreams logged away. Instead, ask, what's the smallest step that I can take today? Embrace the beginner's mind. Research and learning psychology shows that people who approach new experiences with curiosity rather than judgment or fear, adapt faster and feel less paralyzed. Curiosity wins over fear. When you're in an unknown, uncharted territory, visualize the leap, not the landing. Too often we focus on failure, but visualization research shows that imagining the process, so imagining the journey rather than just the outcome, rather than the destination, builds resilience and confidence. Build a safety net, but not a cage. Take practical precautions, whatever is a calculative risk for you. Save a bit, but plan a fallback. But don't let it become an excuse to delay. Ever heard a quote or a saying that goes like if you have a plan B and plan C and plan D, then you're never really serious about your plan. So it's okay to have a plan B if plan A doesn't work, but don't prevent yourself or don't stop yourself from giving in 100% to plan A because it matters to you and because you're scared that it might not work. So don't let it become an excuse to your delay. Your net should be your support, but not a reason to wait and procrastinate. Anchor in your why. When fear comes, remember why you're taking the leap. Your purpose, your why is the engine that fuels and that carries you forward. Here's an anecdote. I once considered unlocking and leveling up in my career. We all do at different times in our lives. I didn't have all the answers. I didn't know exactly what the next role would look like. But I reminded myself why I wanted this growth. I made a plan. I took small steps and eventually I jumped. The first few months were challenging, like they shook me to my very core. But every experience reaffirmed why I made that exact choice. Let's talk about some real-world examples of leaps before readiness. Oprah Winfrey. Fired from her first TV job. She didn't wait to be ready. She created her platform anyway. Elon Musk, we all know, invested his life savings from his first company into SpaceX and Tesla, even without guaranteed success. Look at him. My own leap into motherhood and podcasting. I didn't wait until I had figured everything out. I I feel like it's climbing a never-ending mountain. Do you even ever figure it all out? I don't think we do. But I yet leaned into the unknown and grew through it. These stories show a pattern. The leap itself is transformative. The act of stepping forward teaches you, moulds you, and reshapes your capabilities faster than preparation or planning ever could. There's a quote I love by Neil Donald which says, Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Taking a leap isn't about avoiding fear. It's about acknowledging it, knowing it exists, respecting it, but still moving forward anyway. That's courage. That's where strength comes from. Before we close, I want you to take a moment and reflect. What is one thing in your life that you've been waiting to feel ready for? Imagine it differently. Imagine taking one small step today. No grand planning, no perfect timing, just action. Now, the thing is you don't have to see the whole staircase. You just need to take the first step. Research from behavioral psychologists like Dr. P. J. Fox shows that tiny actions consistently lead to momentum. The first step is the seed. And finally, a personal reminder from me to you. Every leap I have taken, whether into my motherhood, career, leveling up career, speaking into the microphone for this podcast, moving to a new country, changing jobs. Started with uncertainty. Every single time, I promise you it's been worth it. So here's your invitation. Lean into fear, trust your intuition, and take the leap of faith. Even if you don't feel ready, because believe me, you will grow. You will grow exactly there, and you will then create a life that waiting could never give you. Thank you for joining me today. If you found value in this episode, I encourage you to follow, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need a little nudge to jump. This is the Polly, reminding you life's magic happens outside your comfort zone. Take the leap. And until next time, bye bye.