Stop Waiting to Feel Ready

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Episode Description:

If you've been holding back from launching something, showing up on camera, or finally putting yourself out there, this episode is your sign. You're not actually waiting for the right moment—you're waiting to feel ready. But guess what? That feeling might never come.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the real reason we hesitate, what you're actually waiting for, and why the only way to feel confident is to take action anyway. No fluff, no pressure—just the truth about how readiness is built, not found.

Timestamps:

00:00 – The myth of “readiness” and why we cling to it
00:38 – What “I’m not ready” is really code for
02:05 – A behind-the-scenes story from launching this podcast and app
02:23 – Why waiting to feel ready means you delay your purpose
02:55 – You don’t need perfection—you need courage
03:33 – One small challenge for the week that could change everything

Key Takeaways:

• Readiness is not real. It’s a feeling that often never arrives—but action creates the feeling you’re waiting for.
• Hesitation is usually fear in disguise. “I’m not ready” often means “I don’t feel safe being seen.”
• You don’t need a perfect plan. You need movement, consistency, and trust in your voice.
• Confidence is built by doing. Not before. Not after. During.
• Start small. But start. You’ll learn more by doing than by waiting.

Free Resources Mentioned:

Want to build confidence on camera and elevate your personal brand?

Grab one (or all) of my free resources to help you show up with clarity, ease, and authenticity:
✔️ Quick Tips for Social Media Portraits
✔️ Natural Light Cheat Sheet
✔️ Strike a Pose Guide
✔️ 30 Days of Personal Brand Prompts

Looking for more in-depth support?
✔️ Watch my pre-recorded course: Show Up Confidently on Camera

Have questions or want to work together?
✔️ Reach out here: www.jamapantel.com/contact

And be sure to subscribe so you never miss new tips, trainings, or tools:
✔️ www.jamapantel.com

https://www.jamapantel.com

Episode Transcript

Jama Pantel (00:00):
Hey y'all, it's your podcast bestie Jama, coming
at you again with a tiny butmighty reminder that we all need
.
On today's episode, I'm goingto call us out on something that

so many of us believe (00:11):
you know- the I'll start when I'm
ready, or I'll speak up when Iknow more, or I'll get pictures
taken when I feel confident.
Let's be honest, y'all, most ofus aren't waiting for the right
moment.
We're waiting to feel ready.
But here's the truth readinessnever existed, and if you keep
waiting for it, you'll nevertake the steps you actually need

(00:34):
to make you ready.
Now let's unpack this.
The "I'm not ready sounds like alogical reason to hold off on a
lot of things, but more oftenthan not it's code, for I'm
scared I'll mess up, or I don'tfeel qualified, I'm not sure I
can handle being seen right now,or I don't want to disappoint
anyone, including myself.

(00:54):
I've lived all of these andsometimes I still do.
I still remember the time Itried to get my first paid
portrait photography client, oreven in December, when I
launched this podcast.
All of it felt really scary,really shaky, and I never felt
fully ready.
But I showed up anyway, andeach time something shifted a

(01:15):
little bit, not because it wasperfect and I still don't think
I'm perfect to this day butbecause I proved to myself that
I could take action before Ifelt 100% confident and ready.
And I know you can too.
So let me ask you this what areyou really waiting for?
A better version of yourself,more credentials, a moment when

(01:35):
the fear goes away?
Here's the secret y'all.
That moment doesn't magicallyarrive.
You create it by taking thesmall forward steps.
Confidence doesn't precedeaction.
Action creates confidence and,yes, it might be uncomfortable
at first and often throughoutthe course of all of it, and it
might feel clumsy, but everytime you do the thing anyways,

(01:58):
you teach your nervous system.
I can trust myself to show upscared and still be okay.
I'll share a quick story withyou about when I first launched
this podcast because it's one ofthe newest things I'm doing, or
, heck, even the launch of myapp.
I keep asking myself who am Ito do this?
I'm not making millions.
What if no one listens or likeswhat I put out there?

(02:20):
And for a while those thoughtswon.
I put off this podcast for yearswhen it first came into my mind
and I stayed quiet.
But the turning point came whenI finally realized this, if I
waited until I felt ready,someone else would speak the
message that I was meant todeliver, and they might not do
it with the same heart or nuanceor experience that I have lived

(02:42):
and that I bring.
So I hit publish anyways, and Istarted talking.
And no, it wasn't perfect andit's still not perfect to this
day, but it's real and it's whatpeople connect with, or at
least I hope they do.
So here's what I want you tohear and want you to remember -
you don't have to be the loudestvoice in the room.
You don't need a flawless brandstrategy, and you don't even

(03:06):
have to be 100% clear yet onwhat you're doing.
I still don't know what I'mdoing with this podcast, yet
some of y'all still show upweekly, and I so appreciate it.
So what you do need is thecourage to show up anyway and to
move while fear is still there.
To start small, but to startanyway, because movement builds
momentum and momentum buildstrust in yourself and in your

(03:30):
audience too.
So here's your gentle push.
Pick one thing you've beenputting off because you're not
ready.
Maybe it's posting a photo orupdating your website, going
live for the first time, finallytalking about what you really
care about.
Whatever it is, do it this week, not because you feel 100%
confident, because you'relearning to trust yourself

(03:51):
through action.
So I hope you got something outof this episode and that you
don't have to wait to be perfectto show up.
Just do it in silence, do itscared, do it anyways, and I
will leave some freebies in theshow notes for you if you need
any help with showing upconfidently.
That's all.