It’s Thursday night as I write this and I think I speak for the collective internet when I say: It has been a week.  I always find in the looking back of a week that there is a trend – a message keeps coming up – sometimes it’s a word – sometimes it’s a feeling – but this week it was this thing I said to like EVERY SINGLE person I spoke to:

I’ve never felt ready.

The thing that I found shocking in sharing this news was that:  a. I was pretty damn sure I was the only person that felt that way.   b. People were stunned because they too have never felt ready and the REALLY thought that of all people surely I felt ready. Wrong.

Why are we not talking about this?!?!!

Here’s the truth of the situation: I’ve never felt ready. Not the 100% sure – I’ve got this ready feeling.  Not ever. Which has led me to believe this one thing: ready at the level I have chosen to define it at does not exist.  And your definition may be a lot like mine.  We’ve got some definition work to do.

Do you know how I know this?

Exhibit A: Because I had a child. (And Adam is cringing because I’m getting personal (I get personal – business is personal – my business is personal – your business is personal – one day way back when the big corporation that you’re working for was founded it was PERSONAL – so lets get personal (to a point) already.) Want to know why else he’s cringing because I have parenthesis in parenthesis in parenthesis. (You’re welcome.))  Yes, I had a child. Lexi was born at 5:59pm on July 29th. Want to know what I was saying at 5:50?  “I AM NOT READY!”  And you know what happened. I had a baby. And I wasn’t ready. And it happened. And she was perfect. You know what happened next: I got ready and in a hurry.

Exhibit B: Because I have a business with clients and stuff. I distinctly remember the mocha I was having at the Rye Starbucks when I was talking to my mom in 2004 and she said: “Are you sure you can do this?” and my reply was “I have no freaking clue. But its happening.” And it just kept on happening! And is every thing always peach roses and puppy dogs?  No.  No it isn’t.  But it’s freaking awesome anyway.  Because it is SOMETHING.  And that gets me to my next point….

There are two fears:

Fear One: I am not ready

Fear Two: I will never do anything.

Which one is bigger?  Screw Ready – Be prepared, be nimble, and know that whatever comes – you’ll be okay.  Because.  You will be. Trust in what you’re doing. Have what you’re doing be enough of YOU that you stand up next to it at the end of the day and say “Yes, that is my doing” and you’ll use your Loud & Proud voice as Lexi says.

Screw Ready

(and yes, it was the win of my night that I made that featured image up there)

Be more afraid of never doing anything than being unready.

You want to do something and you want an ear?  Next week I am blocking off 5 hours in my calendar.  1 hour for 5 people who want to share the idea they’ve never been ready for heard.  You want one?  Comment.  Want to know how valuable that is?  Ask the people over here.  It’s worth a little something.