If You Wait Until You Are Ready, You’ve Waited Too Long

If you wait until you're ready, you've waited too long.

That is one of my favorite sayings. I am unable to attribute it.

But I believe this so much. In the last couple of weeks, I've had a handful of coaching conversations with people who are holding themselves back from reaching…well, their potential, frankly.

And when I get curious with them about: What's holding you back?, the answer has something to do with, Well, I don't feel like I'm ready yet for that role (or that project or that opportunity).

And when I ask, How will you know you're ready? there's often a pause and an acknowledgement that they don't really know the answer to that question.

What typically surfaces next is, Well, maybe I'm more ready than I thought.

Are you more ready than you're acknowledging for whatever is coming next for you?

I have a theory. It's not backed up by anything other than a connection with the Dare to Lead™ work that I am so honoured to be embedded in.

The definition of vulnerability that we use from Brené Brown in Dare to Lead is that vulnerability is stepping into risk, uncertainty and emotional exposure.

Another way of thinking about vulnerability is stepping into situations where we can't control the outcome.

And that is exactly what “putting ourselves out there” is.

Professionally, it’s all about applying for a leadership role. Or putting your hand up for a new project. Or putting your hand up right now to say, I'm willing to help figure out how to lead a hybrid team in this new context. Whatever the stretch is for you.

I don't think it's readiness in terms of skills and abilities that's holding you back.

I'm guessing it might be the vulnerability that's holding you back.

The discomfort of taking a risk, of putting yourself out there, of being potentially disappointed. Or of the emotional exposure that may come from being seen in that stretch.

I want to offer this up…because I want you to be braver.

We need braver leaders. We need braver teams. We need braver teammates. We need to stretch ourselves right now in all kinds of uncomfortable ways so that we can solve the complex problems in the world.

And all of us staying small, or certain, or avoiding risky, stretchy situations or assignments is not going to help the world move forward.

I want you to remember that none of us have the answers right now.

There is no one way to do anything.

And the more we are willing to step into that unknown, to be ourselves in that, and get messy in the conversations, with all of everything that's going on…that's what we need.

So please know that you're ready.  

And if vulnerability is holding you back, I want you to reframe it as an opportunity to get outside your comfort zone and just know that you will be okay, whatever the outcome is.

On the other side, you will be okay. You have the resources. You have what you need to land softly. Or land bumpy! Or land in a brand new opportunity.

However you land, you can do it. You can handle the landing.

I hope this inspired you to think a little bit differently. To potentially stretch. And most of all, to step into your potential.

You are ready.