You Already Know What to Do. Now Do It.
You're not stuck because you don't know what to do. You're stuck because you're terrified of what happens if you actually do it.
We've all been there. Standing at the edge of something we want, something we know we need to do, and instead of moving forward, we freeze. We tell ourselves we need more time. More clarity. More information. More certainty. More proof that it's going to work out.
But here's the truth: all of that "more" just turns your strategy for chasing your dreams into a passive wish.
The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
When we get quiet and ask ourselves what we actually want, we will see that we know exactly what we want. The answer is there. It's always been there. But we're letting fear confuse us into stagnation, making the gap between knowing and doing feel like a huge gorge we can't possibly cross.
In reality, you know exactly what needs to be done.
The problem isn't that you don't have the answer. The problem is that you're afraid of what happens when you act on it. You're afraid of failing. You're afraid of succeeding. You're afraid of what people will think. You're afraid of being seen. You're afraid of being wrong.
So instead of doing the thing, you research the thing. You plan the thing. You wait for the perfect moment to do the thing. And all the while, the thing you want stays just out of reach because you're standing still.
Why We Convince Ourselves Our Dreams Are Too Big
Here's the part that doesn't make sense: we convince ourselves that our hopes and dreams are too big for us, but somehow we believe they're just the right size for everyone else.
We see someone else doing exactly what we want to do, and we think, "Good for them. They deserve it." But when it comes to ourselves? Suddenly it's too much. Too bold. Too risky. Too unrealistic.
Why do we do that?
Because it's safer to believe we're not capable than to try and find out we might be. It's easier to stay small than to step into the fullness of what we're meant to become. It's less scary to keep dreaming than to actually start building.
But you don't need to make your life so confusing. You don't need to keep adding layers of doubt and hesitation and "what ifs" to something that's actually pretty simple.
You already know what to do.
The Truth About Taking Action
Taking action doesn't require you to have it all figured out. It doesn't require certainty or guarantees or a perfectly laid-out plan. It just requires you to take the next step.
That's it. One step. Not ten. Not a hundred. Just one.
And then another. And then another.
The road shows up because you believe in what you're doing. The clarity comes from moving, not from waiting. The confidence builds as you go, not before you start.
You're not going to feel ready. You're probably never going to feel ready. But that doesn't mean you're not capable. It just means you're human.
Stop Waiting for Permission
No one is coming to give you permission to go after what you want. No one is going to hand you a map and tell you exactly how to get there. No one is going to validate your dreams before you start pursuing them.
You have to give yourself permission. You have to trust yourself enough to take the leap. You have to love yourself enough to do the hard stuff, even when it's uncomfortable, even when it's scary, even when you don't know how it's going to turn out.
Because here's what I know: you've already survived so much more than this moment of fear. You've already proven to yourself that you can handle hard things. You've already shown up for yourself in ways that matter.
And you can do it again.
You Already Know
When you strip away all the noise, all the doubt, all the excuses, what's left is the truth: you already know what to do.
You know what you want. You know what needs to happen. You know what the next step is.
The only question is: are you going to do it?
Stop convincing yourself that you need more time, more clarity, more certainty. Stop waiting for the perfect moment. Stop believing that your dreams are too big for you but somehow just right for everyone else.
You don't need to make your life so confusing.
You already know what to do. Now do it.
About Jason Tharp
Jason Tharp is a keynote speaker, author, and brain cancer survivor who teaches people how to turn setbacks into starting lines. Through his Beyond Hope Project, he champions the overlooked by redefining possibilities through hope, community, and love. Learn more at www.jasontharp.com and www.beyondhopeproject.com.
