Ditch Doubt: Embrace Confidence by Taking Bold Steps Before You're Ready

Confidence isn’t something you wait for… it’s built through action. Take small steps, reframe fear, and start before you feel ready to grow and thrive.

Have you ever told yourself, “I’ll do it when I feel ready”? Maybe it’s starting something new, putting yourself out there, or making a big change… but somehow, that feeling of readiness never seems to come.

I totally get it. It’s easy to believe that confidence is something we wait for… that once we feel fully prepared, fearless, and sure of ourselves, then we’ll take the leap. But here’s what I’ve learned:

👉 Confidence doesn’t come first. Action does.

The Moment I Stopped Waiting to Feel Ready

When I first started my coaching business, I knew nothing about coaching. I had no idea what I was doing, and the thought of putting myself out there (especially on social media) was terrifying. I was scared of being judged, scared of getting it wrong, and honestly, scared of hearing my own voice on camera.

But I knew that if I waited until I felt “ready,” I’d be waiting forever. So I took the leap anyway.

I filmed my very first reel… and then immediately deleted it. I filmed it again. And again. I must have recorded at least five different takes before I finally worked up the courage to hit ‘post.’ Even then, I remember hovering over the button, my heart racing, wondering if I should just scrap the whole thing.

But I didn’t. I posted it.

Looking back at that video now, I can literally hear the nerves in my voice. I was shaky, unsure, and way out of my comfort zone. But that one small step (hitting ‘post’) changed everything. It led me to where I am today, speaking confidently, working with clients I adore, and now setting my sights on my next big goal: speaking at events and being featured on podcasts.

And all of that? It started with one tiny, uncomfortable step.

The truth is, confidence isn’t something you magically wake up with one day. It’s built through action. Every time you do something before you feel ready, you’re proving to yourself that you can handle it. And over time, those small, brave moments add up.

Confidence Comes from Action, Not the Other Way Around

One of the biggest myths about confidence is that it’s something you either have or don’t have. That confident people just know what they’re doing. That they have all the answers, never feel fear, and step into every situation fully prepared.

But here’s the truth: Confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build.

And the only way to build it? By taking action… even before you feel ready.

Why Waiting to Feel Ready Keeps You Stuck

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll start when I feel more confident,” you’re not alone. It’s completely natural to want to feel prepared before taking a leap. But here’s what’s really happening when you wait:

1️⃣ Your brain is wired for safety.
Your brain’s job is to protect you from perceived risks. And anything new, uncertain, or outside your comfort zone? Your brain sees that as a potential threat. That’s why the moment you think about doing something unfamiliar, your mind jumps in with a million reasons why ‘now isn’t the right time.’

2️⃣ The longer you wait, the more self-doubt grows.
The problem with waiting for confidence to magically appear is that it rarely does. Instead, what happens is that self-doubt expands the longer you put something off. You start overthinking, questioning yourself, and convincing yourself you’re not capable.

3️⃣ Action is what rewires your brain.
The only way to prove to your brain that you can handle something is by actually doing it. Each time you take a step (no matter how small) you collect evidence that you can navigate discomfort, that you can figure things out along the way, and that fear doesn’t mean ‘stop’.

Reframing the Fear of ‘Not Being Ready’

What if not feeling ready wasn’t a sign to wait… but a sign that you’re about to grow?

Think about it: every time you’ve grown as a person (whether in motherhood, in your relationships, or in your personal goals) wasn’t there some discomfort involved? Growth doesn’t happen inside our comfort zone. It happens in the moments where we choose to move forward, even with shaky hands and a racing heart.

When you reframe fear as a signal that something important is on the other side, it changes everything. Instead of letting it stop you, you can recognise it as proof that you’re stepping into something bigger.

So, what’s something you’ve been putting off because you don’t feel ready? Imagine if, instead of waiting, you just took one small step today. How would that feel?

Because confidence doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from doing. 🚀

3 Practical Ways to Build Confidence Today

If you’ve ever held yourself back from doing something because you didn’t feel “ready,” you’re not alone. Most of us believe that confidence comes first… that once we feel sure of ourselves, fearless, and prepared, then we’ll finally take action.

But confidence doesn’t come before action. It comes from action.

The more we wait, the more fear and self-doubt grow. But the moment we take even a tiny step forward, we start shifting our mindset, proving to ourselves that we can handle discomfort, and building real confidence.

So how do we do this in a way that feels doable… even when fear is loud? Here are three powerful strategies to help you take action and start building confidence today.

1️⃣ Micro-Actions (Start Small, Build Momentum)

One of the biggest reasons we struggle with confidence is that we think we have to take a huge leap in order to make progress. But confidence isn’t built in one big moment… it’s built in tiny, consistent actions over time.

That’s where micro-actions come in.

Instead of waiting until you feel completely ready, ask yourself:
👉 “What’s ONE small action I can take today?”

When we break things down into tiny, manageable steps, we reduce overwhelm, ease ourselves into the discomfort, and start building momentum. Small actions compound over time, and before you know it, you’re doing the very thing you once thought was impossible.

Why This Works:

✅ Taking small steps builds confidence gradually. It’s like strength training… you wouldn’t start by lifting 50kg on your first day at the gym. You’d start small and work your way up. The same applies to confidence.

✅ Your brain collects ‘wins.’ Every time you take a tiny action, your brain registers it as proof that you can do hard things. These little victories stack up, creating a solid foundation of self-trust.

Examples of Micro-Actions:

💡 If you’re scared to speak up in meetings → ask one question instead of leading a full discussion.
💡 If you want to start posting online but feel nervous → post a simple Instagram story instead of going live.
💡 If you’ve been putting off exercising → do five minutes of movement instead of waiting until you can commit to a full workout.

The key is to start where you are, with what you have, and do what you can.

➡️ Take a moment right now and think of one thing you’ve been putting off. What’s the smallest action you can take today?

2️⃣ Borrow Confidence from Your Future Self

One of the biggest things that holds us back is fear. Fear of failing, fear of being judged, fear of not being “good enough.” But fear doesn’t always mean something is wrong… it often means that growth is on the other side.

A powerful way to navigate fear is to borrow confidence from your future self… the version of you who has already achieved what you want.

Reframing Fear:

Instead of asking, “What if I fail?” try asking:
👉 “What would my future, confident self do in this situation?”

By shifting your focus from fear to possibility, you activate a mindset that moves you forward instead of keeping you stuck.

Why This Works:

✅ Your brain needs a vision of success. When you can see yourself succeeding, it feels less intimidating to take action.

✅ Imagining your future self reduces fear. If you picture yourself already thriving, doing the thing you’re afraid of, and feeling proud, it reminds you that fear is just a temporary stage.

A Simple Exercise to Try:

1️⃣ Close your eyes and imagine yourself one year from now… fully confident, thriving, and achieving what you once thought was out of reach.
2️⃣ Ask yourself: What did that version of me have to do to get here?
3️⃣ Now, take action as her… not as your fearful self today.

This isn’t about pretending fear doesn’t exist. It’s about letting your future self lead instead of letting your present fear hold you back.

➡️ If you could ask your future, confident self one piece of advice, what would it be? Write it down as a reminder.

3️⃣ Reframe Failure as a Learning Step

If there’s one thing that keeps people stuck more than anything else, it’s fear of failure. We often see failure as something to be avoided, something that proves we’re not capable. But the truth?

👉 Failure isn’t the opposite of confidence… it’s PART of the journey.

Every successful person you admire has failed multiple times. The difference is, they didn’t let failure define them. They used it as feedback.

A Powerful Mindset Shift:

Instead of seeing failure as something negative, try this:
👉 “If I see failure as feedback, it’s no longer something to avoid… it’s something that guides me.”

Why This Works:

✅ Failure teaches you what works and what doesn’t. Every “mistake” is just data helping you refine your approach.

✅ Confidence isn’t about never failing… it’s about knowing you can handle setbacks and keep going.

Examples That Prove Failure Is Normal:

💡 Babies don’t wait until they’re ‘ready’ to walk. They fall, get up, and try again (over and over) until one day, they’re running.
💡 Every confident person you admire has failed. Business leaders, authors, athletes… none of them got there without setbacks. The difference? They didn’t stop.

A Challenge for You:

Think of one time you thought you failed, but later realized it was actually a lesson that helped you grow. What did you learn from it?

➡️ Write it down as a reminder that failure isn’t the end… it’s part of the path to confidence.

Confidence Comes from Taking the First Step

Confidence isn’t something you wake up with one day. It’s not something you magically gain when fear disappears. It’s built through action… one small, uncomfortable step at a time.

Most of us wait until we feel confident before we take action, but that’s actually backward. Confidence doesn’t come first… it follows action. The more we step outside our comfort zone, the more proof we collect that we can handle challenges, that we can figure things out as we go, and that fear isn’t a ‘stop’ sign.

So to recap, here’s how you start building confidence today.

🌱 Start small with micro-actions. You don’t need to take a giant leap… just one tiny step in the direction of your goal. Post the video, send the email, speak up once in the meeting. Small steps create momentum, and momentum builds confidence.

🌱 Borrow confidence from your future self. Instead of letting fear make the decisions, ask yourself: What would my future, confident self do right now? Step into her mindset, act as if you already have the confidence you’re working toward, and watch how quickly things shift.

🌱 Reframe failure as a natural, necessary part of growth. The people you admire? They’ve all failed. Many times. But they didn’t let failure stop them… they let it teach them. The sooner you embrace failure as feedback, the faster you’ll build resilience and self-trust.

These simple mindset shifts can change everything.

So the real question is: What’s ONE small action you can take today to start building your confidence?

Whatever it is… start now. Your future self is already cheering you on. 💛