I kept preparing. Nothing ever shipped.

Over‑preparing

I study a lot to feel prepared, but the lack of action becomes the problem. I have a tendency to keep studying and preparing before I take any step, and that preparation turns into procrastination. From the outside it looks like progress, I’m learning, trying to get better, but it creates a loop: I study more, still don’t feel ready, pause, and repeat. The whole point of my projects is to ship things, yet nothing ever ships while I’m stuck in that loop.

Action over preparation

Justin Welsh wrote about the Lincoln advice: if I had six hours to cut down a tree, I’d spend four hours sharpening the axe. He says the axe isn’t what’s missing; it needs me to start swinging. That’s the point, when you spend too much time preparing, you need to start taking action.

My own example is the video challenge I set for myself: 100 videos, one a day. I wasn’t prepared at all, but recording the first video and committing to daily recordings turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made this year. Even if I still don’t love the results, the act of creating was essential.

If you never prepare at all, you might fail because you’re jumping in impulsively. In that case, a bit more sharpening, some planning, can help. But if you’re like me and you need to feel safe before you act, you have to start swinging first, then get feedback.

Learning from mentors

My advice is to take action, then seek feedback from someone who’s a step ahead, a teacher, professor, or mentor, who can give constructive, learnable feedback rather than vague criticism.

AI as a tool

With AI advancing, the human part of learning feels more valuable each day. I still prefer direct contact with experienced people over an AI answer, but AI can enhance learning. It doesn’t replace a good mentor; it helps break advice down into personalized, actionable steps. If you can’t afford a mentor or don’t have access to one, you can watch public videos or take paid courses, extract a piece of advice, and use AI to adapt it to your context. The result is a concrete list of daily steps. In other words, the person provides direction, the machine removes the excuse.

I use AI for my videos, too. I built a Claude Code skill that edits my footage. Editing is simple but time‑consuming for me, so delegating it to AI lets me focus on recording and turning ideas into real projects.

Building habits

Another lesson I’m applying is to stop sharpening the axe alone; swing it, then bring it to someone more experienced for feedback.

I’m also preparing for a big life change: moving out of my parents’ house. To make the transition smoother, I’m practicing the boring parts of living alone now, cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, cooking meals for the week, planning household tasks. These are things my family usually handles, and I don’t learn them by reading. By building these habits now, I hope the move will be seamless.

I’ll see you in the next video.