The Biggest Mistake I Made Was Waiting for Permission
It never arrived.
That letter with the red carpet rolled out.
I was building my expertise, learning from gurus and then once I had the go-ahead, I would kick start my new ventures in full action mode.
Matter of time.
Just round the corner.
As soon as I finish what’s on my plate.
Right after this weekend.
*Checks watch**
About time. Has that permit arrived yet?
You know you’ve been cradling that dream. Waiting to act.
It’s that little whisper urging you to write a book, start a business, or learn Spanish?
Yeah, that.
You’ve probably been giving it WAY too much power.
Because here’s the cold hard truth: No one is going to give you permission to go after what you want.
Ever.
You must snatch it with both hands and run. Unless you want to keep waiting for the invitation that’ll never arrive.
Waiting For the Light
I learned this the hard way after years of waiting for some magical green light.
A signal to first dream a dream.
And then chase it.
Right after I get the stamp of approval — from my coach, from my parents, from society at large.
But you know what? Their permission never came. At least not in the way I expected.
Instead, the people I desperately wanted validation from just shrugged and said “That’s…nice.”
Ouch.
What We Don’t See
Looking back now, I wasted a lot of time getting over my head, and then deciding to just DO it anyway.
Because here’s what also never arrived: a personal invitation with the red carpet rolled out!
Want to know the secret? You have to give YOURSELF permission.
Terrifying, I know! But also incredibly freeing once you take that first step without a guide showing you the way.
We are quick to permit ourselves days of misery but why do we hesitate to go for days of action?
Here’s the paradox — when you confidently claim your desires, the world starts to open up for you. Closed doors magically become gateways.
But when you seek approval from others, you just stay stuck in limbo. And your dream withers while you wait for direction.
It Happened One Day
I don’t think I have a book in me, but consistent long-form writing, hell yes.
One day, I put money where my mouth is, signed up to Medium and let it rain words.
Some bombed, some scraped by. And then a 16 months later one got boosted.
I used crumbs from the article to write posts. It revved my reach professionally. Gigs appeared.
Over 500 post and articles later I have 3 things I would never imagine having last year:
- A thriving grant writing and educating business
- A small but quality following on LinkedIn
- Access to a community of action takers
Last
Look, you don’t have to trust me on this one. It does not work the same way or in the same time frame for everyone.
Was I lucky though? Hard to say till I acted and increased my luck surface area.
I’ll only say this.
These are YOUR dreams. Messy or imperfect.
They’re dying for you to take charge and bring them into this world.
If you keep waiting for permission, you’re headed for a life of regrets.
Of what-ifs and if-onlys.
The truth?
You will never feel ready to start.
But once you do, everything you need will appear by your side.
It’s no magic. You are the permission you’ve been waiting for!
So what’s it going to be?
