Being ready is not a feeling. That is a lesson many of us learn the hard way. We tell ourselves we need to know more, feel more, see more, and experience more before we move. We think that once we have a little more information, a little more confidence, or a little more certainty, then we will finally be ready.
But somehow, it never feels like enough.
There is an internal battle in our heads that convinces us we cannot be successful until we feel ready. That is the trap. For many of us, readiness never shows up as a feeling. It shows up after a decision.
Why Being Ready Is Not a Feeling
Have you ever heard someone say, “You’re lucky”?
I understand what they mean. Sometimes the world defines luck as being in the right place at the right time. In my mind, that is lottery-ticket luck. It happens, but it is rare.
However, there is another kind of luck. It is the kind that shows up when preparation meets opportunity.
Is a race car driver lucky because he won? Or was he in the right place, at the right time, with the right training, the right repetition, and the right decision-making under pressure?
Put me in that race and I would be the slowest driver on the track.
Does a firefighter ever truly feel ready to run into a burning building, or do they make the decision to go in anyway? In my mind, most of us have it easy compared to that.
That is not luck. That is preparation.
What the STAR Personality Test Taught Me
About 25 years ago, I took a personality test called STAR, and it was one of the most impactful trainings I have ever taken. It helped me understand who I was, but just as importantly, it helped me understand who I could become.
STAR stands for:
S = Stability
T = Theory
A = Action
R = Relationship
I will not be able to do the full training justice here, but I hope I can at least help you understand these personality types.
An S is someone who likes order. They are organized and need things in place to feel like they can function. While that can be a strength, it can also slow them down. Sometimes the need for order keeps them from doing the very activities that would actually make them successful.
A T is what some might call the techy one, the analytical one, and the nerd all in one. They like to know why the world turns. They want information, stats, and numbers before making decisions. But the need to have all the information can also become their Achilles’ heel. This person often will not move forward until they feel they have all the information or all the training to make the right choice.
An A is a person who just does it. They do not always know how to do it, and yet they still try. Over and over until they get it. It does not matter how many mistakes they make, how much money they lose, or how uncomfortable it gets, they go after what they want.
An R is focused on relationships and how others feel, sometimes even in spite of their own feelings. They are cause-focused individuals. They care deeply. They are so giving that others may sometimes take advantage of them. Truly, they are the kind of person who would give you the shirt off their back.
While we all have varying degrees of each one, some are stronger than others. I also believe it is important that we work on strengthening the good aspects of each one.
My Strongest Traits Were T and R
At around 25 years old, my strongest traits were T and R. Funny enough, I know I still am. The difference now is that I have made it a point to strengthen the weaker traits too, especially the ability to act before I feel completely ready. Honestly, that growth has made a real difference in my life.
I say that because I am successful. I do very well, but I also know I could do so much more.
The most interesting part is that the A personality type often has an advantage when it comes to success, because action creates momentum.
Why?
Because of the ability to act without overthinking. To try things without knowing everything. To move forward without carrying so much concern about what others think.
That, to me, is one of the secret ingredients.
The A personality does not wait to feel ready. They make the decision to do it.
Being Ready Is Not a Feeling, It Is a Decision
So why is it so hard?
Because we are looking for the feeling to be right, when in reality, it does not matter nearly as much as we think it does. We are waiting for confidence, certainty, and comfort to show up first.
But most of the time, movement has to come first.
For me, one of the biggest struggles has been feeling like I am being pushy or getting into someone else’s business. Then I ask myself a harder question.
What if what I have is so important that it could truly change their life?
What if the difference I can make in their life could be exponential?
What if I stay quiet, and later I see that family member, friend, or potential client suffer, when I had an answer, a solution, or a path that could have helped them, and I never shared it?
How would I feel then?
That question changes everything.
Because sometimes what looks like being pushy is actually caring enough to speak up.
Sometimes what looks uncomfortable is actually necessary.
Sometimes what looks bold is exactly what love, service, and leadership require.
That is why this message matters so much to me:
Being ready is not a feeling. It is a decision.
You do not need to feel every emotion lining up perfectly before you begin. You do not need every answer before you take the first step. You do not need permission to move forward on the thing that has been sitting in your heart.
You need a decision.
Stop Waiting to Feel Ready and Start Moving
So what is today’s moral of the story? What do I want you to take home?
Stop waiting to feel ready, and start moving.
Make the call. Start the conversation. Share the value. Offer the help. Do the thing that has been pulling at your spirit.
If they are your friend or family, they will listen.
If they are not, show them value. Show them that you care.
Not too long ago, I wrote a legacy statement. This is my compass and my mission:
“My legacy will be that I served others so they could live a better quality of life and become better versions of themselves, financially, educationally, spiritually, and in their family lives. I hope to inspire them to serve in the same way.”
That is what I want my life to stand for.
So if you are in a rut, it is okay.
Find that person who is going to inspire you to do great things. Look for the person who is going to challenge you. Chase that dream and make it a reality.
Do not wait for the feeling.
Make the decision.
Because the people who change their lives are rarely the ones who felt the most ready.
They are the ones who decided to go anyway.
Make the Decision
At some point, we all have to stop waiting for the feeling and start making the decision.
So if you are ready to grow, to lead, to serve, and to build a better life for yourself and the people around you, connect with Mark Pinilla.
Because a better future does not begin when you feel ready. It begins when you decide.
Visit MarkPinilla.com to begin building your legacy:
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Quote & title inspired by Chicago Fire: “Being ready is not a feeling. It is a decision.”
