Hi! Welcome to my pep talk. 💛
You don’t need more information. You need to take action.
I have so many clients that express frustration over lack of progress. They say ‘I know what I need to do but why can’t I do it? Maybe if I do a bit more research I will know what to do next.’
I posted a video to tiktok and instagram that discussed exactly this conundrum. I reminded people that when they feel this way, they are in fact trapped in the collection of information phase and are unsure why they’re not making progress the way the information they’ve collected tells them they should be. They’re unsure because they literally have done nothing with the information they’ve gathered.
That video has been slowly gaining traction since I posted it (well over a million views now), and I think it’s resonating because it’s something so many of us struggle with. Especially my anxious, perfectionist, high-achieving girlies.
So many of us are walking around with mountains and mountains of knowledge; books read, podcasts binged, Instagram quotes saved, even an impressive ChatGPT conversation that gave you the perfect plan that seemed completely plausible.
Yet, here we are. Not doing anything with it. In fact, we may even be too terrified to do anything with it. We’re stuck in the phase of gathering and planning and second-guessing, hoping that eventually we will stumble upon the one chunk of info that takes away the fear.
In the mean time, here you are feeling like life is passing you by.
The Real Reason You Feel Stuck
If you’ve ever said:
“I just need to figure out the right next step.”
“I’m not ready yet.”
“I have some more questions I need answers to first.”
This is for you.
The tough truth? You already know exactly what you need to do. You just aren’t ready for the discomfort that comes with doing it.
And I get it because I did the same thing. I spent years saying I wanted to move out of state but was spinning in circles doing chatGPT searches and talking with friends about the same issues over and over. The only time things started moving in the direction I wanted them to was when I started DOING THINGS.
I’ve also been in a continual state of learning this lesson as I’ve been growing the podcast, building on Substack, and showing up differently on social media. I’ve had to confront the same thoughts. Perfectionism. Fear. The pressure to get it right the first time.
As I’ve fought through this, here is the main thing I’ve learned:
Imperfect, messy action is the only thing that leads to progress, change, and confidence. Not planning. Not over-researching. Not waiting.
So What Do I Even Do?
This was the most common question I got in the comments of that video:
"Okay, but… what am I supposed to do?"
Here’s the process that I use to help sort through my own fears and insecurities around taking action.
Step 1: Look at what you’ve been collecting
Start by asking yourself:
What have I actually been gathering information about?
What topics/questions/ideas am I constantly searching, asking about, thinking about?
Is it relationships? Your job? Starting something creative? A move?
Step 2: Take inventory
Write it all down. Seriously. What do you already know from all this information? Do a full scale brain dump of everything.
What advice have you already heard? What strategies are sitting in your Notes app? What have people already told you? What is resonating from the information that you have?
Step 3: Match your wants to your data
Then, make a list of what you want.
What’s the outcome, feeling, or life change you’re after? What are you wanting to do that is feeling big, and scary, and uncertain?
Then take that list and put it up next to the info you’ve collected. Where are the dots already connected? Where do you already have some idea of how to move forward?
Step 4: Pick one thing and do something
Yes, even if you’re scared. Yes, even if you’re still confused. Yes, even if you might get it wrong.
Do it anyway.
A personal example is that I literally booked weekend trips to the 3 places I was considering moving to and explored. Instead of relying on google searches and hoping peoples opinions would be enough, I went and got a feel for how I would even like it. I drove around, looked at apartments, spoke with property managers, chatted with locals, and then I made a choice. I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect because no outcome ever is. But I felt confident that I was making a decision that felt authentic to where I was in my life and that was best for me.
It ended up being the greatest thing I ever did by the way.
Or Just Throw Out the Plan Entirely
Here’s another option, and it’s for the ones ready to be bold.
Ditch the research. Do something today. Just start.
Let’s say you want to start a garden. You could research soil types, growing seasons, pest prevention… or you could just go buy a flower pot, some dirt, and seeds. Plant something. Water it. Watch what happens.
And then go look up how to take care of it.
Sometimes the best plan is to get your hands dirty first, and figure out the rest as you go.
That’s how momentum is built. That’s how learning becomes real.
Action Is Vulnerable. That’s Why It’s Hard.
Doing something new, in any type of setting, is scary.
You will most likely feel uncomfortable. Exposed. Afraid to fail. You might even realize you didn’t want the thing you thought you wanted and that’s okay, too.
But the only way out of that uncertainty is through it. You have to be willing to do it messy before you ever feel confident. You have to allow yourself space to sit in the inbetween while watching everything come together.
Think of organizing a chaotic closet. As you pull everything out and make sense of what you even have that needs to be organized, it feels worse than before. Things are everywhere. It’s overwhelming and you’re questioning every decision you ever made. But little by little, as you sort and clean and create space — things come together. The mess is part of the process.
Allow Yourself to Be New
Let yourself be new at something.
Let yourself not have it all figured out. Let yourself try without the guarantee of success. That’s what real growth is. That’s where the most meaningful transformation happens.
If the fear you're feeling is about whether you'll be able to handle the next step, trust this:
Future You is more capable than you think.
If you’ve made it this far, you’ll figure out what’s next too.
As Taylor Swift said:
“Everything you lose is a step you take.”
So take the step. You’ve got no reason to be afraid.
In Case You Needed to Hear It
You're not behind.
You're not doing it wrong.
You're not broken because it's messy.
You're learning. You're growing. You're taking action.
And that’s exactly what’s required.
So pause the podcast. Close the tab. Stop the scroll.
Pick one small thing and do it.
Imperfectly. Messily. Boldly.
You've got this.
I believe in you.
💛
Sam
Share this post