Originally published on Medium.

Waiting to feel ready is often just fear in disguise. Here's how I stopped using it as an excuse.

Why I Stopped Waiting to “Feel Ready” Before Starting a Project

There’s a project I didn’t start for months.

Not because I didn’t know how.

Not because I didn’t have time.

But because I was waiting to “feel ready.”

Spoiler: I never did.

🧠 Readiness is a Feeling. Not a Signal.

We often treat “readiness” like a milestone.

“Once I’m ready, I’ll start.”

But what if being ready isn’t something that happens — but something we create?

🚧 The Illusion of Readiness

I told myself:

• I need to learn a bit more
• I need to clear my schedule
• I need to be 100% sure I can finish

But the truth was simpler:

I was scared of failing.

Scared of wasting time.

Scared of building something that didn’t work.

So “not ready” became a polite excuse.

🏗️ What Happened When I Started Anyway?

I wasn’t fully ready.

But I started anyway.

And here's what actually happened:

• I figured things out as I built
• I learned faster because I had real context
• I made mistakes — and improved
• And I finished more than I ever had before

Starting created momentum.

Waiting only created friction.

🔄 Now I Use This Rule:

“If it scares me, but I understand it 60%, I start.”

No more 100% certainty.

No more hiding behind “someday.”

Just action — with humility.

💡 Final Thoughts

You don’t need to feel ready.

You need to move.

Clarity comes after you begin.

Confidence comes from doing — not waiting.

💬 What About You?

Are you waiting to feel “ready” before starting something important?

Let’s talk about it in the comments.

✍️ Written by @denizgokbudak

Frontend developer writing about mindset, workflow, and honest dev struggles.