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The Day I Decided to Stop Waiting

I thought my dreams would arrive on their own. Then I realized the only person who could bring them to life was me.

By Fazal HadiPublished 5 months ago 3 min read

Introduction

I used to believe in the “perfect time.”

The perfect time to start a new project.

The perfect time to tell someone I cared.

The perfect time to finally live the life I wanted.

But here’s what I learned: the perfect time never comes.

The day I decided to stop waiting was the day everything began to change.

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How Waiting Became My Habit

For years, I told myself stories like:

• “I’ll travel when I have more money.”

• “I’ll start writing when I’m less busy.”

• “I’ll speak up when I feel more confident.”

It sounded reasonable. After all, life is busy and responsibilities are real.

But underneath those excuses was something else: fear.

Fear of failure.

Fear of rejection.

Fear of not being “ready enough.”

And so I kept waiting… and waiting.

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The Moment That Woke Me Up

It wasn’t dramatic. No lightning bolt. No big announcement.

One evening, I was scrolling through my phone and stumbled on a quote that stopped me:

“Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect.”

I don’t know why those words hit differently that night.

Maybe because I was tired of watching my life from the sidelines.

Maybe because I had just turned another year older and felt like I’d been standing still.

Whatever it was, something shifted inside me.

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The First Step I Took

The next morning, I made a small but powerful decision.

I took out my notebook and wrote one sentence:

“Today is the day I stop waiting.”

Then I listed one thing I’d been putting off: starting my blog.

I didn’t overthink it. I didn’t spend weeks planning. I simply opened my laptop and wrote my first post. It wasn’t perfect. My hands shook as I hit “publish.” But it was real, and it was mine.

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What Happened Next

Once I took that first step, something unexpected happened:

I wanted to keep going.

I started saying yes more often — to new opportunities, to meeting new people, to trying things that scared me a little.

I learned that action creates momentum. The more I acted, the more confident I became.

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Lessons I Learned from Stopping the Wait

Here’s what I discovered along the way:

1. You will never feel completely ready.

Waiting to feel “ready” is just another form of fear.

2. Small steps matter.

Big dreams are built one small, imperfect step at a time.

3. Regret feels worse than failure.

Failing at something is temporary. Wondering “what if” can last forever.

4. You are the one in control.

Life isn’t something that happens to you — it’s something you create.

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How My Life Looks Now

Since that day, I’ve:

• Started my blog and grown it into a community.

• Taken trips I’d been dreaming about for years.

• Built deeper relationships by speaking up and showing up.

None of this would have happened if I had kept waiting for the perfect time.

________________________________________

Why This Matters to You

If you’re reading this and thinking about something you’ve been putting off, consider this your sign.

That project.

That conversation.

That dream.

Start today. Not tomorrow. Not “someday.”

Because the day you decide to stop waiting could be the day your whole life changes.

________________________________________

Conclusion — The Moral of the Story

The day I decided to stop waiting wasn’t the day I finished my dreams. It was the day I started living them.

And that, I’ve learned, is the real difference between people who talk about their dreams and those who live them: they stopped waiting.

So, take one step today.

Make one call.

Write one line.

Your perfect moment isn’t coming. You are the one who makes it perfect.

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Thank you for reading...

Regards: Fazal Hadi

goalshealinghow toself helpsuccessadvice

About the Creator

Fazal Hadi

Hello, I’m Fazal Hadi, a motivational storyteller who writes honest, human stories that inspire growth, hope, and inner strength.

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  • EchoPoint5 months ago

    very nice story

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