How to Move Forward Without Waiting for the Perfect Moment
Every day, I hear people say they’ll start tomorrow. Tomorrow, they’ll write that book, launch a business, save for a house, sign up for the gym, or finally travel the world. The list is endless: “Tomorrow, I’ll begin.” But tomorrow never seems to arrive.
Life always throws something in the way. There’s never enough money, never the right moment, never a big enough safety net. Sometimes it’s just not the “right time” to change jobs, or family responsibilities get in the way. So, those dreams and projects never get off the ground.
The truth is, days are short. Each day is 24 hours, and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. That’s why it’s so important to start working on what matters to you right now.
Recently, a friend at my coworking space told me he’d wanted to volunteer in Kenya for three years. Kenya is an amazing place for volunteering with elephants and going on safari. But he still hadn’t done it. Why? Work, daily life, and other things kept getting in the way, like sticks in the spokes of a bike. He just couldn’t get started.
Money is another common excuse. There’s this idea of “f*** you money”—enough savings to finally live your dream life and fly on your own. People often say, “If I had 5,000 euros a month, then I could do everything I want.” But it’s never enough. There are always more taxes, more expenses. This is called lifestyle inflation: the more you earn, the more you spend. So, you never really reach that magic number.
Tim Ferriss popularized the idea of a “mini-retirement” in his book The 4-Hour Workweek: taking six months off every couple of years. I tried this myself. I took a six-month sabbatical, still technically employed, but not working. My company paid me a little, and I had savings from two or three years of careful planning. I traveled, learned new programming skills, and worked on open-source projects. It was an incredible experience.
I remember being in Lanzarote, buying fresh fruits and vegetables, taking cheap buses to the capital, swimming, listening to podcasts, and learning Spanish. Maybe your dream is similar. If so, you have to start now. There’s never a perfect time or enough money. If you wait, you might never do it. Who knows what could happen in three weeks or a month? You might get even busier. We always think things will get easier “after,” but that’s rarely true.
You have to jump in and start the things you want to accomplish. Life moves fast. If you keep waiting for the right moment, you’ll look back and realize you never started.
Even at work, we think, “Give me three more days and I’ll finish.” But it always takes longer than planned. Sometimes you end up exhausted, with dark circles under your eyes, and the project still isn’t done. It’s not the end of the world. We all have 24 hours in a day. If you’re supposed to work from 9 to 5, but you’re still working at 9 at night and it’s not finished, that’s just how it goes.
I’ve worked long hours myself, sometimes from 7 in the morning until 11 at night. You can love your work, but there are limits. You need to know your limits and what brings you joy. Prioritize what makes you happy, because that positive energy will help you feel good and stay optimistic.
Life is beautiful and deserves to be lived fully. That’s why you need to identify what truly matters to you—the things that make you genuinely happy. For me, it’s hiking. I love hiking in New Zealand and hope to go to New Caledonia soon for more adventures. Maybe for you, it’s gardening, or something else entirely.
Put your most cherished projects first, even if it means making sacrifices elsewhere. What is your number one priority? Once you know that, you can delegate or let go of the rest. If it’s not your top priority, it’s okay to skip it.
Let’s say your top priority is volunteering in Kenya. Everything else comes after. Spend an hour each day organizing your trip, take three weeks off, and make it happen—even if other things seem important. When you have a clear system of priorities, you can give more energy to what matters most.
After you finish one big project, like volunteering in Kenya, you’ll come back energized, full of new ideas, and maybe even with a clearer sense of direction. You might meet people who change your life, or simply return home with unforgettable memories. Then, you can move on to your next top priority—maybe starting a startup, or launching an online course on balcony gardening.
With this approach, you’ll never feel lost. You’ll always know what your number one priority is. You won’t feel guilty about procrastinating, because your priority comes first, above everything else. Once it’s done, you can move on to the next thing.
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
— Stephen R. Covey
If you want to go even further in your daily improvement and productivity, I recommend the book The One Thing. It’s a great resource for focusing on what matters most and getting more done while enjoying your days.
Key Takeaways
- Stop waiting for the perfect moment—start now.
- Identify your top priority and give it your full attention.
- Accept that you can’t do everything at once; focus on what matters most.
- Lifestyle inflation is real; don’t let it stop you from pursuing your dreams.
- After finishing one priority, move on to the next. You’ll always know where you’re headed.
Reflection
- What is your number one priority right now?
- What’s stopping you from starting today?
- Are you letting “tomorrow” steal your dreams?
Pierre-Henry Soria
#Entrepreneurship #Goal-Setting #Money #Motivation #Nomad #Prioritization #Productivity #Tech #Time-Management #Wealth