Why You're Not Ready (And That's Perfect)
Embracing imperfection and starting before you feel prepared
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I used to hate math.
Actually, hate is too weak a word, I was terrified of it. Every time I saw numbers and equations, my brain would shut down like an old computer trying to run a new game. I convinced myself that I was just "not a math person." You know that story we tell ourselves? The one where we decide we're either naturally good at something or we're not, and that's just how it is forever.
But a few years ago, I started gaining interest in artificial intelligence development. I was fascinated by the idea of creating systems that could learn and think.
The problem? Every AI program I looked into required advanced mathematics.
I remember staring at the admission requirements for the AI program I wanted to join. The math prerequisites looked like a mountain I'd never be able to climb.
But then I thought about something Marcus Aurelius once wrote:
"You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."
The only thing stopping me wasn't my actual ability. It was my belief about my ability.
So I did something that felt completely crazy at the time:
I started anyway.
The Myth of Being "Ready"
We live in a culture obsessed with readiness. We think we need to have all our ducks in a row before we can start anything meaningful. We wait for the perfect moment, the right skills, the ideal circumstances.
But you're never really ready.
And that's not a bug. It's a feature.
The truth is, readiness is often just fear wearing a fancy disguise.
When we say "I'm not ready," what we're really saying is "I'm scared of failing" or "I don't want to look stupid."
But every expert was once a beginner.
When you learned to walk as a baby, were you ready? Of course not.
You fell down hundreds of times.
But you didn't wait until you had perfect balance. You started walking and learned balance through the process.
The Power of Imperfect Action
Epictetus taught that:
"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."
My reaction to being "bad at math" could have been to give up on my AI dreams. Instead, I chose to see it as the starting line, not the finish line.
Over the next 6 months, I worked my way through the math requirements. Each class built on the last. What once seemed impossible became challenging but doable. What once felt like torture became engaging.
I actually started enjoying math, something I never thought I'd say.
When application time came for the AI program, I met all the math requirements. Not because I was naturally gifted, but because I had been willing to start when I wasn't ready.
Where I Am Now
Today, two years later, I'm studying advanced algorithms for artificial intelligence. I'm working with concepts that would have been completely foreign to my past self. Linear transformations, gradient descent, neural network architectures. Topics that once would have sent me running for the hills.
But I still don't feel completely ready. Even now, there are concepts that challenge me, problems that take me longer to solve than I'd like, moments when I feel like I'm in over my head.
And I've realized that's exactly how it should be. Growth lives in that space between what you know and what you don't know yet. Comfort is the enemy of progress.
The Science of Starting Imperfect
Research backs this up. Studies show that people who embrace a "growth mindset" (the belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning) outperform those with a "fixed mindset" who believe their talents are set in stone.
Dr. Carol Dweck's research at Stanford found that students who were praised for effort rather than intelligence were more likely to take on challenging tasks and persist through difficulties. They understood that struggle is part of learning, not evidence of inability.
Another study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students who were taught that intelligence is malleable showed improved academic performance compared to those who weren't given this knowledge.
The message is clear: your current skill level is not your permanent identity.
You can grow, learn, and change. But only if you're willing to start before you feel ready.
The Stoic Path Forward
Marcus Aurelius faced challenges he wasn't ready for every single day as emperor. He didn't wait until he felt prepared to lead an empire. He learned leadership by leading.
His "Meditations" weren't written by someone who had life figured out, but by someone actively working through difficulties.
Seneca reminded us:
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
Your past relationship with learning, with difficulty, with your own abilities. None of that has to define your future. You can start fresh at any moment.
Action creates clarity.
You don't think your way into a new way of acting. You act your way into a new way of thinking.
Your Turn to Start
Maybe your dream isn't AI development. Maybe it's starting a business, learning a new language, writing a book, or changing careers. Whatever it is, you probably have a voice in your head telling you all the reasons you're not ready.
That voice isn't protecting you.
It's limiting you.
Here's what I want you to consider: What if not being ready is actually the perfect time to start? What if your inexperience is an asset, not a liability? What if the gap between where you are and where you want to be isn't a problem to solve but a journey to embrace?
The people who achieve extraordinary things aren't the ones who wait until they're ready. They're the ones who start where they are, with what they have, and figure it out along the way.
📝 Today's Stoic Gameplan
Morning Intention: Identify one thing you've been putting off because you don't feel "ready." Write it down and commit to taking the smallest possible first step today.
Face the Fear: When that voice says "you're not qualified" or "you don't know enough," respond with: "That's exactly why I need to start learning."
Embrace the Struggle: If you encounter difficulty or confusion today, remind yourself that this is your brain literally growing. Struggle is not failure. It's progress.
Evening Reflection: Before bed, write about one small step you took toward something that scares you. How did it feel to act despite not feeling ready?
Weekly Challenge: Sign up for that class, send that email, start that project. Do one thing this week that your "not ready" mind has been resisting.
You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great. Every expert was once a beginner who refused to give up.
Your future self is waiting for you to begin, not to be perfect. The path to readiness runs directly through action, not around it.
The question isn't whether you're ready. The question is whether you're willing to start anyway.
Start messy. Start scared. Start unprepared.
Just start.
Stay stoic,
StoicWisdoms
Related posts:
8 Must-Read Books on Stoicism for Personal Growth
10 Books That Made Me Think Differently
How to Build Confidence (Without Faking It)
How to Take Action When You Don't Feel Like It
Epictetus's Secrets to a Peaceful Mind
How Marcus Aurelius Mastered Resilience — And How You Can Too
Thanks for sharing. Excellent advice, especially for a person who is about to publish the first draft of his novel in installments on Substack. I'm ready to start, and I'll figure it out along the way.
Your articles speak to me DIRECTLY, it's so uncanny. How I wished I found you in my youth. My life today would be so different (better!). Thank you for sharing! 😀