“One day, I’ll start that thing.”
Sound familiar?
It’s the internal monologue of dreamers everywhere. The fantasy narrative we whisper to ourselves right before we close the laptop, scroll past another idea or convince ourselves that now just isn’t the time.
Here’s the truth:
“One day” is a convenient illusion.
And it’s probably the biggest, most well-dressed thief of all your best ideas.
Because “one day” is always just a bit too far in the distance to be real—but just close enough to feel like you’re still going to get around to it.
Spoiler: you’re probably not.
Unless you turn today into day one.
The Curse of “One Day”
Let’s unpack this.
“One day” is comfortable. It doesn’t ask much of you. You get to keep the dream alive without doing any of the messy bits, like starting, failing, adjusting, or risking your reputation in front of your cousin who still doesn’t understand what a digital product is.
It feels like you’re planning, when really… you’re pausing.
Endlessly. Quietly. Indefinitely.
Because if it’s always “one day,” then it doesn’t have to be today. And if it’s not today, you don’t have to deal with the fear, self-doubt, or logistics. It’s the perfect emotional escape hatch.
Except it’s not perfect.
It’s a trap.
The Myth of Readiness
A big reason we cling to “one day” is that we think we need to be ready.
Spoiler: Ready is a myth!
You will never feel fully ready.
You will never have all the answers.
Your to-do list will never be fully checked off.
And yes, your branding might still look like it was designed in a PowerPoint template from 2006.
That’s fine. Because readiness isn’t the point.
Momentum is.
You can’t steer a parked car, and you can’t build a business from a whiteboard. You have to move. You have to decide. And you have to start before you think you’re ready—because that’s how readiness is built. By doing.
Day One Looks Like This…
Day One doesn’t have to be dramatic.
It doesn’t require a website launch, a viral tweet, or quitting your job to live in Bali. (Although if you want to, please send photos.)
Day One is small. It’s simple. It’s unglamorous.
- It’s opening a blank Google Doc and writing your first offer.
- It’s messaging a friend and asking if they know anyone who needs help.
- It’s finally pressing “publish” on that intro post you’ve rewritten nine times.
It’s anything that breaks the loop of waiting and puts you into motion.
Not everything you start has to be successful. But nothing you don’t start will be.
The Quiet Cost of Waiting
Let’s talk about the price of “someday.”
It’s not just missed opportunities. It’s the mental fatigue of constantly carrying around ideas you never act on. It’s the emotional weight of saying you’ll do something… and not doing it.
Every time you tell yourself “I’ll start soon,” your brain files that as unfinished business. And guess what? Unfinished business takes up mental energy. It creates stress, guilt, and analysis paralysis.
So even though you’re not starting the side hustle, your brain is still working on the side hustle. And that’s exhausting.
Wouldn’t it be better to channel that energy into action? Even small action?
You’d be surprised how fast clarity shows up once you start doing instead of thinking.
What You Really Need to Get Moving
Let’s kill some myths while we’re here.
You don’t need:
- A niche so perfect it deserves a TED Talk
- A shiny logo
- A course to tell you your own story
- A fancy funnel with upsells, down-sells, and bells that ring when someone buys
You need:
- A problem you can solve
- A group of people who need it solved
- A way to tell them
- A way to get paid
That’s it.
Business, especially at the beginning, is just that.
It’s simple. It’s scrappy. It’s startable.
But What If I Fail?
Ah yes, the million-pound question.
What if you fail?
Well… what if you succeed? What if you get your first client? What if you make £500 this month from something you made yourself? What if someone DMs you and says, “I needed this”?
Failure isn’t the enemy. Inaction is.
Failure teaches you how to move better next time. Inaction teaches you… nothing.
You will fail at something. That’s guaranteed. But the people who build things that last don’t avoid failure. They budget for it. They factor it in like coffee or taxes. It’s just part of the process.
If You Made It This Far…
There’s a good chance you’ve been sitting on an idea. Or a half-built product. Or a brand name you love but haven’t told anyone about.
Let today be Day One.
Even if it’s just:
- Writing a single sentence about what you want to build
- Sending one email
- Posting one honest message about what you’re doing
That’s enough. You’re in motion now.
You’ve already left “one day” behind.
The Decision Is Yours…
So. One day? Or day one?
It’s not a trick question.
It’s a choice.
You can keep waiting. You can keep overthinking. Or you can decide—today—to become the person who starts.
Not the person who has it all figured out.
Just the one who begins.
Everything you want lives on the other side of starting.
And starting begins when you choose to stop waiting.
So, which is it?
One day…
…or day one?
You decide.
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