Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 49 seconds
Most people wait until the whole picture is clear before taking their first step.
But clarity is something you build - not something you begin with.
All you need is the first piece.
Today’s visual is inspired by @visualsbymelodie:
Whenever you sit to start a puzzle, you have to pick up and place a single piece.
Even though you’re unaware of the complete picture, you have the confidence and conviction to start.
Treat your goals for this year as a puzzle.
Ask yourself: What is the first piece I can place?
Let’s unpack today’s saying:
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
The first step rarely feels impressive. It often feels small, uncertain, or insignificant.
But that step is the one that changes everything - because once you’ve started, momentum does what motivation can’t.
January brings pressure - make the right goals, choose the right tools, map out the perfect plan.
But the truth is far simpler:
Progress begins when you stop waiting for the full puzzle and start placing the piece you already have.
The early stages of any dream are foggy. You might not know the whole path. You might not know how it all fits together. You might not even know if it will work.
But here’s the beautiful part:
You don’t need to know everything to begin something.
Each action reveals the next piece.
Each attempt sharpens the picture.
Each small win unlocks clarity, confidence, and direction.
If you want 2026 to be different, don’t aim for perfection - aim for movement.
Here are 3 ways to begin, even when the whole picture isn’t clear:
Start with the piece you do see.
Don’t overthink the entire puzzle.
What’s one small step you can do today?
A draft, a call, a page, a first rep.
Let action reveal clarity.
When you move, you learn.
When you learn, the next step becomes obvious.
Waiting rarely creates clarity - working does.
Build consistency, not complexity.
You don’t need a 12-step plan.
You need one repeatable move.
Small, steady progress outperforms perfect plans every time.
Let’s dive deeper into today’s wisdom with these 3 journal prompts:
What “one piece” - one small, simple step - can I put in place this week?
What dream have I been waiting to start until “everything is ready”
How would my year change if I stopped waiting for clarity and started building it?
Today’s resource is Leslie M. Bosserman’s TED Talk: Leave the Someday Isle and Start Before You’re Ready.
In this short, practical presentation Leslie explores why big goals often stall - and why the antidote is surprisingly simple: start with one small, meaningful action.
She explains how breaking ambitions into tiny, doable steps builds momentum, confidence, and clarity far faster than waiting for the perfect moment or perfect plan.
If 2026 is a year you want to move forward, this talk is a powerful reminder that transformation begins with the smallest step you’re willing to take today:
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Catch you in the next issue!
Thanks,
Michael