By Paul Yung
Have you ever met someone who’s been “getting ready to get ready” for years? The friend who’s always waiting for the perfect time to start a business, learn a skill, or get in shape, but somehow never does? We’ve all been there. I used to be that person too.
I’ve learned that the world doesn’t reward ideas; it rewards action. Too many people are waiting for their ducks to line up perfectly before they move, but here’s the truth, the ducks will never line up perfectly. And even if they do, by the time you’re done counting them, someone else has already built a pond.
One of the best lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur is that progress beats perfection, every single time. Don’t wait until you’re ready, start, and get ready along the way.
When I first joined PM International, I had no idea how big this would become. I didn’t have the experience, the systems, or the resources I have today. What I had was hunger. I took action, made plenty of mistakes, and learned from every one of them. Looking back, if I had waited for the “perfect” plan or timing, I’d still be drawing on the whiteboard, not leading one of the fastest-growing teams in the region.
We live in an age where perfectionism is glorified. Social media doesn’t help. We see people posting their polished highlight reels and start believing that everything has to look flawless before we can share it. But behind every “overnight success” is a messy, uncertain, unfiltered beginning. The successful ones are those who took that messy first step, while everyone else was still researching, planning, and perfecting.
Think about it this way. The first iPhone didn’t even have a front camera. The first car looked like a box on wheels. The first airplane barely flew for a minute. If those inventors had waited until everything was perfect, we’d still be riding horses and writing letters.
Perfection is not the goal. Progress is. And perfection actually hides behind fear; fear of judgment, fear of failure, fear of not being good enough. That’s why “perfectionists” often end up as procrastinators. They disguise inaction as preparation.
The truth is, most things worth doing will never feel comfortable at the start. The presentation won’t be perfect. The first version of your business might flop. The workout will feel awkward. But that’s exactly how learning looks. The only people who never fail are the ones who never try.
When I speak to young entrepreneurs, I often tell them this: done is better than perfect. Every great company, every meaningful project, every big movement started imperfectly. It’s like learning to swim, you can read about technique, watch all the YouTube videos, and buy the best goggles, but at some point, you have to jump in the pool. You’ll swallow some water at first, but that’s part of the process.
If you’re afraid of making mistakes, reframe how you see them. A mistake is simply a lesson you paid tuition for. The faster you make them, the faster you learn. When my team first started hosting online trainings, we messed up the audio, video, and even the slides. It was embarrassing, but it made us better. Today, those same sessions are attended by thousands around the world. We didn’t get there by being perfect; we got there by improving with every round.
The key is momentum. Action builds confidence, and confidence builds competence. The more you do, the more you learn. You don’t need to have it all figured out; you just need to start. And once you start, keep moving. Don’t overthink the missteps. Laugh at them, learn from them, and move forward. Because progress, not perfection, creates success.
I know many people in Subang Jaya who have dreams, to start a café, to write a book, to volunteer more, to lose that extra 5 kilos. My message to you is simple: start now. Take that first small step. Launch the café with one menu item. Write one page. Go for one walk. Do it messy, do it scared, but do it.
You can fix what’s wrong later. But you can’t fix what never started.
So, this month, let’s make something happen before we make it perfect. Forget about the ideal conditions, the right time, the right skills, the right mood. They’ll come after you start, not before.
As one of my mentors used to say, “The best way to begin is to begin.”
Take action. Adjust as you go. And remember, every master was once a beginner who took the first imperfect step.
Wishing you a bold, productive, and action-packed month ahead, Subang Jaya. Let’s make things happen.
