When I was younger, living in Lithuania, I thought life was kind of rigged against me. I thought the world was harsh, success was meant only for the "chosen" ones - people who had the means, the courage, and support to get there... I thought, if you're not instantly amazing, capable, and skilled at something, there was no point in trying. So I didn't.

I watched others chase dreams, start projects, and do things I always wanted to do... failing, learning, and trying again. I watched with admiration but also with a little bit of envy. And with shame as well, because I couldn't do it. I couldn't even start.

So I buried myself in learning - reading, watching, listening. Once I decided that I wanted to do something new, I spent months studying it on my own. But no matter how much time I spent on it, I was never there yet. The gap between "not good enough" and "almost ready" never closed. There was always more to learn, to fix, and to become before I could begin.

And then I moved to Scotland. New country, new culture, new language.

Everything got even harder. Now it wasn’t just about not being ready to pursue my dreams. Survival has become my main concern. Paying rent. Finding work. Adapting.

I picked up hospitality jobs. I smiled at customers while quietly panicking about my future and finding the time for everything I needed to do. I wanted to break into the marketing industry but had no real work experience. I was studying, but how could I ever break into that world when I was so far away from it?

So I did what I always did: I learned more. Spent nights studying and reading marketing books, taking free courses, and building knowledge I had no place to apply. I thought that maybe if I knew everything, someone would give me a chance at an entry-level role.

They didn’t.

Until one day, someone did.

Kind of.

The advice that changed it all

I got an unpaid internship at a small theatre. The role that didn't even exist.

I "secured" it by sending cold emails to places that interested me. It wasn't easy because I felt that I didn't have anything to offer.

That theatre didn't need me, but they were open to getting an extra pair of hands. It was unpaid, after all.

And that’s where I met her. The director. In my eyes, she looked like an ultimate success story - she was warm, magnetic, authentic and doing what she loved and believed in. I couldn't help but think that this is what it looks like when someone creates a life they truly want.

I wanted to be like her.

One day, she asked about my story and the future I'm trying to build for myself. I told her the truth and shared my hopes and worries. The fear, the waiting, and the endless learning. I told her how I thought I knew what I wanted to do but couldn't start. I didn't know how.

She listened. Then she chuckled.

“Nobody knows what they’re doing. I don’t either. I just learn as I go.” she said. That was it. This is when it clicked.

I went home that day and couldn't stop thinking about it. Nobody knows what they’re doing. People learn as they go.

So I stopped waiting.

I started my messy projects. Created my own opportunities. Sent more cold emails. Said yes before I felt ready and asked for things before I knew I would be able to deliver. With each step, opportunities came easier and easier. Not because I suddenly became perfect, but because I was finally doing something.

I no longer feel that I must be the best at something in order to do it. I don't need to be perfect, exceptional, or extraordinary to show up. I just need to start and keep getting 1% closer to where I want to be.

Start now, and improve later.

Here’s what I wish someone had told me earlier: the biggest lie is that we need to feel ready before we act. We don't. We just need to have the courage to look stupid, fail and start again. To do things now and improve as we go.

For the purpose of this post, I also collected some relevant quotes talking about the same thing. For example, here’s Tara’s take on the biggest mistake new entrepreneurs make when they want to start a business:

“They wait to get started. They wait until they have more information, more experience, more money, and a more perfect version of whatever they have created. All that waiting means they’re not really learning. When you’re an entrepreneur, the best way to learn is to do something, to put your idea into someone’s hands, or to talk to the people you want to serve. Stop waiting and do… something.”

Here are a couple of wise words from the book “Leaders’ Frontpage: Leadership Insights from 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Thoughts” by Israelmore Ayivor:

“Sometimes the only thing preventing your dreams from becoming realities is the long time it is taking you to start.”

and

“Most times, the way isn’t clear, but you want to start anyway. It is in starting with the first step that other steps become clearer.”

And here’s another one from the book “No Excuses Mindset” by Farshad Asl:

“Don’t wait for being completely ready for the plans and ideas you may have in mind. Take action now and along the way you will learn and become ready.”

And, finally, this one quote by Richie Norton that just sounds too real and sums up where I was perfectly:

“I did hundreds of interviews with people in retirement or approaching retirement. Here was their theme: ‘I was waiting for a time when I’d have more time, education, experience or money to do what I wanted to do…only to find out when I got there that I still needed more time, more education, more experience and more money.”

It’s wild to think about it now, but I used to live in this dark headspace for years. Low energy, low hope, no real drive. Now, when I'm looking back, it just feels so sad. Not in a pity way, but like… damn, I felt really stuck there.

The craziest part is that had I stayed in that mindset, none of the things I’ve done since would’ve ever happened. No growth, no risks, no new chapters. I’d still be stuck in that tiny, limiting “box” I built for myself, waiting for something magical to happen so I could start living. And if I'm being honest - that would’ve sucked so bad. But here we are. On the other side. And it’s so much better now.