There’s something low-key terrifying about starting something new—especially when we’re no longer beginners in most areas of our lives. Whether you’re launching a new idea, stepping into unfamiliar territory at work, or picking up a skill you’ve never tried before, the discomfort of not being good at something can be enough to make you stop before you start.

But that’s the moment where most of us get in our own way—not because we’re incapable, but because we’re resisting being seen or seeing ourselves as incapable. We avoid the stumbles, the awkward first tries, the trial-and-error process that learning requires. We choose perfection over progress, mastery over movement.

And in doing so, we block ourselves from our own potential.

The Power of Yet

There’s a tiny word with enormous power: yet.

“I don’t know how to do this... yet.”
“I haven’t figured this out... yet.”
“I’m not sure if I can succeed... yet.”

Yet reframes failure as process. It places the emphasis on becoming, not being. It reminds us that growth isn’t static, and that skills are not innate gifts, but cultivated abilities.

When we embrace the word yet, we give ourselves permission to stay open. We shift our focus from what we lack to what we’re building. We turn fear into curiosity—and curiosity is the fuel of every bold new beginning.

Getting Out of Your Own Way

If you’ve been feeling stuck or uncertain about a new challenge, try asking yourself:

• Am I waiting until I feel completely ready before I move forward?
• Am I avoiding discomfort because I fear how I’ll be perceived?
• What would change if I allowed myself to be a joyful beginner?

You may find that the only thing standing between you and leveling up is your resistance to being a student again.

Start Before You Feel Ready

If my experience is any guide, you won’t feel ready. You’ll feel unsure, maybe even foolish. But the way forward is not through knowing—it’s through doing. Learning is messy. Growth is nonlinear. Progress is built on imperfection.

So the next time you face something you don’t yet know how to do, remember: your full potential isn’t waiting at the finish line. It’s unfolding right here, in the moment you decide to begin anyway.

Run laughing into it.