How waiting for the “right moment” keeps you stuck (and why this one idea could be the answer)

Why you’ll never be ready and why that’s perfect

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Hey there,

I hope your last week was filled with moments of clarity, growth, and a little bit of peace amidst the chaos.

Today, I want to talk about the concept of “readiness” and how it can hold us back from achieving our goals and living our best lives.

We’ve all been there: hesitating to take the next step, telling ourselves we’ll act when the time is right, or when we’re more prepared.

It feels natural to want to wait for the “perfect conditions,” doesn’t it?

But what if I told you that striving for readiness can be an illusion? And that the moment you stop waiting is the moment you’re finally ready?

Let me explain.

When faced with a challenge or an ambition, our first instinct is often to hesitate. We deliberately hold back, telling ourselves it’s responsible to wait until we’re more skilled, knowledgeable, or confident.

We prepare endlessly, creating detailed plans and obsessing over every possible scenario.

“Just a little longer,” we say. “Then I’ll feel ready.”

But in reality, readiness rarely arrives.

We wait for better financial security before starting a business.
We wait for the perfect moment to take that trip or start a new hobby.
We wait to feel more confident before applying for that dream job or pursuing a relationship.

But while we endlessly rehearse and revise, life moves on.

And often, we’re left behind, still entangled in the endless search for perfect conditions.

The truth is this: perfection never comes.

By endlessly preparing and waiting, we get caught in what’s known as the “waiting game.” And this waiting game is costly.

Just think about it:

How many opportunities have slipped through your fingers because you told yourself you weren’t ready yet?
How many relationships have faded away because you were too afraid to take the next step?
How many dreams have been left unfulfilled because you waited for the perfect moment?

And each hesitation builds a chain of regret.

Then stagnation sets in. And with it, frustration and self-doubt. Over time, the fear of failing morphs into the fear of even trying. Keeping us stuck in a cycle of inaction.

And waiting robs us of progress. While we’re busy overthinking, others who are willing to move forward—imperfectly but bravely—are seizing opportunities.

But what can we do to break this cycle and move forward?

Let's assume that readiness is an illusion.

Nature itself serves as a teacher: It shows us that hesitation is not part of the natural flow.

Trees don’t wait to grow until they’re “ready.”
Rivers don’t pause until they feel confident to flow.
Seasons don’t delay—spring doesn’t wait for summer to prepare, and autumn doesn’t hesitate because it feels incomplete.

Nature is always in motion, and it doesn’t concern itself with perfect readiness.

This idea can liberate us from the trap of hesitation.

The Daoist approach teaches that action creates readiness. Not the other way around.

You don’t become confident before starting. You become confident by starting.
You don't become a master before practicing. You become a master by practicing.
You don’t grow wise by avoiding mistakes. You grow wise by making them and learning in the process.

To live in alignment with the dao, we must do the same: embrace movement.

This mindset can manifest in countless ways within your life.

Maybe it means starting a project before you feel completely prepared.
Maybe it involves taking that first step toward a goal, even if the path ahead is unclear.
Maybe it’s simply letting go of the fear of failure and allowing yourself to make mistakes.

Whatever shape it takes, remember that progress comes from movement. And it is through action that we find clarity and purpose.

Of course, this doesn’t mean ditching planning or preparation completely. And it’s definitely not about diving into chaos or being reckless.

It’s about avoiding the kind of overthinking that keeps you stuck—where you spend so much time planning that you never actually take action. And it’s about knowing when you’ve planned enough to take that first step and trusting that things will fall into place as you go.

At its heart, the Daoist approach comes down to this truth:

When you decide to trust in the natural flow—like a river trusting its course—you align yourself with the essence of life.

Life isn’t about achieving a state of perfection or readiness. It’s about immersing yourself in the process and responding to whatever comes with openness. By choosing to act, you align yourself with the rhythms of nature. Each step you take, no matter how imperfect, builds the path forward. The wisest part of you already knows this.

If nature doesn’t hesitate, maybe we don’t need to either.

So, try to stop waiting and start flowing.

The moment you act might be the moment your life begins to shift.

And everything you’ve been waiting for might just be on the other side of letting go.

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Weekly Reflection

In which recent situation were your hesitation, fear, or endless planning never needed in the first place?

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🍵 Thank you for reading!

Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with you! I hope they bring you a moment of reflection and a touch of peace.

Until next time, start flowing.

– Zhenya

P.S. If you're new here, it's nice to meet you! I invite you to check out the past editions to get a sense of what my Teacup is all about.

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🌊 Where can you flow next?

The Way of the Dao: This course is a structured, easy-to-follow introduction to Daoism. It's designed to help you apply its wisdom in a practical way.

My Daoist Mentorship: This is a highly personalized, one-on-one written mentorship. Designed for those who want to step onto a timeless path of self-mastery, inner balance, and effortless flow.