There's a lie you believe that's keeping you stuck.

And the scary part? It doesn't sound like a lie. It sounds smart. Responsible. Reasonable.

It's the lie that lets you stay comfortable while convincing yourself you're being strategic.

The lie is this:

"I'm not ready yet."

Sounds harmless, right? Even wise. Who wants to rush into something unprepared?

But here's what "I'm not ready yet" actually means:

"I'm scared. And I've found a way to dress up my fear as wisdom."

I see it every day. Men who have been "preparing" for years.

"I need to learn more first."
"I'm still building my skills."
"Once I finish this course, then I'll start."
"I just need to get a few more things in place."

You know what all that is?

Hiding. The most productive-looking form of hiding that exists.

You're busy. You're learning. You're preparing. From the outside, it looks like effort.

But nothing is being built.

Here's the thing about the preparation lie: it's infinitely renewable. There's always more to learn. Another skill. Another certification. Another piece of the puzzle.

The goalpost moves forever.

Because you're not actually preparing. You're avoiding.

Let me tell you something nobody else will:

You will never feel ready.

Readiness is not a feeling you get before you start. It's a result of starting.

You feel ready after you've been doing the thing for a while. Not before.

Every person you admire—every person who built something real—started before they were ready. They started scared. They started uncertain. They started with gaps in their knowledge and holes in their plan.

The difference between them and you is not that they felt ready and you don't.

The difference is they started anyway.

"I'm not ready" isn't the only lie. It has cousins.

"The timing isn't right."
The timing is never right. There is no magical moment when everything aligns. Five years from now, you'll look back and realize right now was the perfect time.

"I have responsibilities."
Everyone has responsibilities. Every successful person had them too. You're not honoring your responsibilities by playing it safe. You're hiding behind them.

"I need to be strategic."
Strategy without action isn't strategy. It's expensive daydreaming. Real strategy requires data. Data requires action. You can't strategize your way to success from your desk.

"It's complicated."
No, it's not. You've made it complicated so you have an excuse not to solve it. Strip away the complications. What's the actual decision? In or out?

These lies all have one thing in common: They sound smart.

That's what makes them dangerous.

So here's my challenge for you today:

Think about the thing you've been "preparing" for. The business. The content. The conversation. The change.

Now ask yourself: What would I do if I knew I was never going to feel ready?

Because you're not. That feeling isn't coming.

If you've been "preparing" for more than a few months, you're not preparing.

You're hiding.

And hiding is a choice. Which means you can make a different one.

Done negotiating.

-Joel