Slingshot Weekly (9/17/25) | Readiness is a Mindset

Almost everyone wonders if they’re truly cut out for the next step.

Whether it’s applying for a new role, making a big move, or chasing down a dream, fear has a way of slipping into the driver’s seat. It shows up as second-guessing, hesitations, and that voice in your head that asks, “Are you really ready for this?”

That little voice is clever. It dresses itself up as logic, when in reality it’s fear in disguise. It tells you that you’re not qualified enough, that you’re too late, or that someone else could do it better. And yet, if you stop and look back at your own life, you’ll realize something important - you’ve heard this voice before, and you’ve still managed to move forward anyway.

The truth is that readiness is not a credential. It’s not something you earn when every detail lines up perfectly. Readiness is a mindset. It’s choosing to trust your ability to figure things out as you go. It’s remembering that the strength you’ve built from past challenges is proof that you can handle what comes next.

Think about the decisions you’ve already made - the moves, pivots, and risks that once felt impossible. At some point, you didn’t feel ready for those either. But you took the leap, and in the process, you discovered resilience you didn’t know you had. You adapted. You learned. You survived. And every one of those moments has prepared you for the step you’re facing today.

You are not starting from scratch. You are starting from strength. That’s a massive difference. Too often, we discount our own experience, forgetting that every obstacle we’ve overcome has been a kind of training ground. The self-doubt you feel is not evidence of weakness. It’s simply a reminder that growth always asks us to stretch beyond comfort.

Readiness isn’t about silencing fear. It’s about deciding that fear doesn’t get to call the shots. The leaders, creators, and innovators we admire didn’t wait until they felt completely confident before they started. They moved forward with uncertainty in tow, and that willingness to act became the very thing that shaped their success.

So when you hear that voice telling you to hold back, remember: you’ve already proven your ability to navigate change. You’ve already taken bold steps before. You’ve already made it through what once felt impossible. That means you have more than enough evidence to believe you are ready now.

You don’t need a perfect plan or a flawless résumé to begin. What you need is the courage to step into the unknown, trusting that you’ll figure it out along the way. Readiness isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you choose.

And you are ready.

Reflection Questions:

1. When has fear disguised itself as logic in your life?

2. How would your choices change if you believed readiness was a mindset, not a credential?

3. What’s one step you’ve been delaying because you don’t feel “ready enough”?