If you’re waiting to "feel ready" for your next promotion, career pivot or big leap, it's a lie.

You’ve convinced yourself you need more time, more experience, more boxes checked off, perhaps one more certification. And all the while, your next level is being decided, not by when you feel ready, but by when others start seeing you as if you already are.

And the men you work with? They never got that memo.

They don't wait until they're 100% ready. They go for opportunities when they meet only 60% of the requirements.

In fact, according to a Harvard Business School study, talented women often self-select out of opportunities because they don’t feel fully qualified even when they could succeed.

That means waiting until you feel ready isn’t protecting you. It’s holding you back.

Ready is not a feeling. Ready is a decision.
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​This was something my client was struggling with. She was feeling stuck in her workplace and new she wanted out, but was scared and didn't feel fully ready for that next step. The moment she decided to take action anyways, everything changed. She implemented the custom roadmap I created for her and landed her dream role, negotiated a 6-figure offer and has been thriving in her new role with confidence.

So let's unpack how the myth of "feeling ready" keeps too many smart, capable women from the roles they deserve and how to rewrite that narrative to get unstuck.

3 ways to move forward before you feel ready

1. Act before you feel 100% qualified

Readiness rarely comes from more qualifications. It comes from momentum.

"I’m not ready yet" might sound responsible, but what it really does is keep you comfortable. Meanwhile, the opportunity quietly passes to someone who decided to go for it anyway.

If you want to grow, you have to start moving faster than your doubt. Here's how to start:

• Volunteer for projects that stretch your skills or visibility.

• Raise your hand for opportunities that make you nervous. Do it scared anyways.

• Share your perspective early instead of waiting for the perfect words.

  
  

In your next 1:1 with your manager:

“I’m ready to expand my scope and would love to take on a project that challenges me beyond my current role. What initiatives could use more leadership support?”

In your next team meeting:

“I can lead the first draft or kickoff on this. It’ll be a great way to build my exposure in [specific skill or area].”

In your next leadership meeting:

“This initiative aligns closely with my development goals, and I’d love to take ownership of it. I might need to ramp up quickly in [specific area], but I’m confident I can deliver strong results with the right support.”

In your upcoming career development conversation:

“Based on the evolution I've demonstrated in my role these past 6 months and the results I recapped earlier, I’m eager to contribute in a bigger way. What upcoming projects or priorities could give me exposure to prepare me further for my next level?”

And remember, while you're stuck in your head overthinking or questioning yourself, there's other people looking up to you wishing they were in your shoes.

You're often more ready than you realize, so let your mindset catch up.

2. Focus on progress, not perfection

Perfection feels like the safest way to prove yourself, but that constant fine-tuning keeps you focused on what’s already done instead of what will move you forward.

When you chase perfect, you stop learning.
You over-invest in polish instead of progress.
You prioritize avoiding mistakes over driving impact.

The harsh truth? Perfection doesn’t get you promoted. Progress does. Your leaders aren’t watching for flawless execution, they’re looking for initiative, agility, and outcomes.

Perfection protects your ego. Progress protects your growth. So moving forward, try this:

→ Share your work before it’s perfect: The earlier you share, the faster you get feedback and that shows confidence, not uncertainty.

In a project meeting:

“This is an early draft, but I’d like to walk you through where I’m headed. Your input now will help shape the final version.”

→ Shift your updates from activity to advancement: Don’t just share what you’re doing. Share how it’s moving the business forward as this shift tells leaders you’re thinking in outcomes, not outputs.

Instead of saying:

"I’ve been reviewing feedback and making updates."​
​Try:​
​ "The new framework addresses client feedback and should cut our response time by 15%."

→ Show you can adapt faster than you can perfect: Progress often looks messy, but that’s where growth lives.

When something isn’t perfect:

"That version didn’t land the way I hoped, but it gave me clarity on what to adjust next."

It’s not about getting everything right, but rather showing you can recover, learn, and keep momentum.

[Check out my free LinkedIn Learning nano-course on Nano Tips to Fast-Track Your Career]

3. Build confidence through smart experiments

Confidence doesn’t come from waiting until you feel certain. It comes from taking messy action and navigating through ambiguity without having all the answers.

The women I coach who grow fastest run smart experiments. They test new skills, ideas, or approaches in small, low-risk ways that build evidence of their readiness. Each experiment becomes proof reminding yourself "I can handle this. I can lead this. I’m ready for more."

Here’s how to start experimenting strategically:

→ Start small, but stay visible: Take on projects or tasks that stretch you just 10-20% beyond your comfort zone, enough to grow. Visible experiments show initiative and maturity and leaders notice both.

"I’d love to pilot this process on a smaller scale first to see what insights we can gather before expanding."

→ Reflect after every stretch: After each new challenge, ask yourself:

• What worked well?

• What would I do differently next time?

• What did this teach me about how I lead under pressure?

This type of ongoing reflection turns action into data points which fuels your confidence. It gets you out of your own head to take proactive, intentional steps forward.

→ Share what you learn: Talking openly about what you’re testing signals growth mindset and leadership readiness. You’re also showing you're agile and open-minded, key criteria as you rise through the ranks.

In a team update:

"I ran a quick test on [X approach]. It didn’t all go as planned, but it showed us a better path forward for [Y goal]."

This was the approach I encouraged my client to use to go beyond feeling ready and make bold moves in attending SF Tech Week. She leaned into doing smart experiments and ended up making incredible connections, including one with the Head of Talent at her dream company. Not only this, she's been proactively scheduled for informational interviews at her 2 top companies of choice thanks to these efforts.

Smart experiments shrink fear because they turn uncertainty into feedback.
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Which strategy do you need the most help with? Simply reply back and let me know.
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​You've got this!