Have you ever noticed how much of life we spend waiting for permission?
Permission to start.
Permission to speak up.
Permission to chase a dream.
Permission to leave a situation that no longer serves us.
Permission to heal from something that hurt us.
Permission to become the person God created us to be.
Somewhere along the way, many of us started believing that someone else was supposed to tell us when it was okay to move forward.
We wait for a spouse to understand.
We wait for family members to approve.
We wait for friends to support us.
We wait for the perfect timing, the perfect opportunity, or the perfect amount of confidence.
The problem is that sometimes those things never come.
If I had waited until I felt completely ready, I would have never joined the Army at 32 years old.
Trust me, there were plenty of reasons not to do it.
I was older than most of the people around me. I had spent years smoking. Running wasn't exactly my favorite activity. The whole idea seemed a little crazy.
But if I had waited for every fear to disappear before taking action, I would still be sitting on the sidelines wondering what might have been.
The same thing happened when I became a coach.
The same thing happened when I wrote my first book.
The same thing happened when I started speaking.
Every meaningful step in my life came before I felt fully prepared.
I think that's because confidence isn't usually what comes first.
Action comes first.
Confidence follows.
Sometimes we think faith means waiting.
Sometimes faith means moving.
There are moments when God says, "Be still."
There are also moments when He says, "Go."
The challenge is that "go" rarely comes with a complete roadmap.
It often comes with one small step.
One phone call.
One application.
One conversation.
One decision.
One act of courage.
The truth is that many of us are carrying around invisible permission slips that we're hoping someone else will sign.
What if they never do?
What if the permission you've been waiting for has already been given?
What if God has already equipped you with everything you need for the next step?
Not the whole journey.
Just the next step.
You don't need permission to grow.
You don't need permission to heal.
You don't need permission to pursue what God has placed on your heart.
You don't need permission to become who you were created to be.
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop waiting for approval and start walking in purpose.
The door may not swing open on its own.
Sometimes you have to reach for the handle.
What is one thing you've been waiting for permission to do that you already know in your heart it's time to start?
If you've been waiting for a sign, consider this your sign. Take one small step today. You don't have to have the whole plan figured out. Just be willing to move forward.
After all, purpose doesn't usually arrive with a permission slip. It shows up when we decide to take the next step.