I’m not ready. You know, I’m not quite there. A few more days. A few more pounds. Let me just tidy a bit.

I’m. Just. Not. Ready.

But here’s the naked truth. You are.

You were a high achiever at school no doubt. I bet your books were covered in green ticks, stickers and stars. As you grew up the stickers and stars were replaced with A’s and A*’s. You learnt that success was measured outwardly by the letters after your name, exam paper or coursework.

It’s almost addictive, isn’t it?

I know you have a goal that has sat there for a while. You’re eyed it cautiously because it means so much to you. You don’t want to get it wrong. You don’t want to damage it by acting too hastily. I mean, you might look stupid. People might laugh if you start and somehow you don’t finish as expected, or even finish at all.

You’re waiting.

Waiting for it to be perfect. For the certificate. For the scales to say the right weight. For the right moment at work. For the golden goose to lay the egg. For the universe to give you a sign that everything is OK.

Striving for perfection is a form of procrastination. It will never be the perfect time or situation. The stars rarely align in the perfect pattern. You have to act before you feel ready, because you’ll only start to learn and progress once you are in action. The law of attraction works wonders, but if you’re sitting in your living room / office / car hoping for something to fall into your lap, you might want to rethink. Things don’t just happen, you make them happen.

Here are 5 reasons to act before you’re ready:

You have enough to start

JK Rowling sat in a bookshop with a laptop. Richard Branson scrawled a note on tissue paper after a cancelled flight and started Virgin Atlantic. You have enough to start. You might need to learn as you go. You might need a mentor, coach, teacher, partner, accountant, a shed load more gin in the cupboard.

But you have enough to start.

You’ll learn, grow and develop

When you sit warily on the sidelines you imagine all sorts of hurdles and barriers to your success. However, unless you actually get going, how do you know what you need to know?

You’ll learn, grow and develop and more often than not, you’ll realise that you’re simply unlocking skills and talents you already have.

Action creates results

By setting up an appointment, signing up to a class, joining a networking group, joining a dance class – you’re showing up in the world and making a statement of intent. You stop hiding on the sidelines and let the world know you’re serious.

And sometimes, you know like magically, miraculously, things start moving your way.

Funny that.

You’ll soon know if you want it enough, and if it’s right for you

The grass is always greener on the other side. Looking and lusting over a dream provides relief and hope, but when you’re out there trying and fighting for it, you very quickly start to understand if it’s worth fighting for.

You might realise that you don’t want to leave your job, you just need to have hobbies on the side so you need to change your work hours.

That dress you bought last year is totally unrealistic to get into? You might find that actually all you want is to be healthy and do more regular exercise.

Because life is too short for a “What if”

Imagine you’re at your 80th birthday. Close your eyes and put yourself there. Imagine yourself looking back at your life and taking stock of all the decisions you made.

As you sit there imagine your pride and relief at having lived a full life, explored all your dreams, all your opportunities.

Now consider the alternative, a life of what if’s, could have’s, should have’s, would have’s.

You owe it to yourself to realise your potential.

And if you’re still in doubt here are some wise words to inspire you:

“I haven’t failed, I just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.” Thomas Edison

“There are only two mistakes one can make on the path to truth, not going all the way and not starting.” Buddha

“The secret to getting ahead is to get started.” Mark Twain

“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.” Joseph Campbell