Start Where You Are 🚦🚦 The Coast Will Never Be Clear

What's really stopping you from starting?

In this empowering episode of the Black Sheep Leadership Podcast, Athena Renee challenges one of the biggest lies holding people back: the belief that you have to be "ready" before you begin.

Discover why clarity comes through action, how faith grows with movement, and why waiting for the perfect moment may be costing you the life you were meant to build.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why action creates confidence 
•  The real meaning behind "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" 
•  How to stop waiting for perfect timing 
•  Why purpose reveals itself one step at a time 
•  Three practical actions to begin building your future today 

If you've been waiting for a sign…

This is it.

 #BlackSheepLeadership
 #StartWhereYouAre
 #PermissionToBegin
 #TakeTheFirstStep
 #PurposeDriven
 #GrowthMindset
 #BlackSheepMindset
 #PersonalDevelopment
 #SelfLeadership
 #MindsetShift
 #ExecutionMode
 #BuildYourLife
 #NoMoreExcuses
 #ClarityIsPower
 #ThinkDifferent
 #MoveDifferent
 #LegacyBuilder
 #FaithInAction
 #ProgressNotPerfection
 #InformationIsEverywhereExecutionIsRare 

"INFORMATION IS EVERYWHERE EXECUTION IS RARE"

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Hey, what's going on, everybody? I want to welcome you back to the Black Sheep Leadership Podcast. I'm your girl, Lathena Renee, and this is where the underdogs, the misfits, and the black sheeps come to turn their pain into power so that they can build a life by design and leave a legacy behind. Now, if this is your first time tapping in, welcome in, family. What's going on with you? And if you're back again, I appreciate you stopping by. You already know I appreciate your presence. Now let's do this quick vibe check. Because if you're easily offended, sensitive, entitled, waiting on somebody to come save you, or allergic to accountability, get your ass up out of here. Because this is not your safe space. Go ahead and tap out now. But if you're ready to think different so you can move different and level up, stay locked in. Because by the end of this episode, you're walking away with something that you can execute immediately. Alright? Now let's get to work. Black sheep. If you are waiting for the coast to be clear before you start making moves, you're going to be waiting for the rest of your life. What you must understand is the way life is set up, the way life bank account is set up, there will always be another obstacle. Always another bill, another hater telling you what you can and cannot do, another critic criticizing your work, another reason to wait, another excuse. The coast is never clear. But check this out. The people that built a life by design and on their own terms, these people, they don't, they didn't wait for perfect conditions. They learned how to navigate them. They learned how to play the game in any kind of weather. And that's what separates talkers from doers and dreamers from builders. So the question is not whether you're ready. The question is, well, you make a move anyway. And that's exactly what we're talking about today. You know, one of the biggest lies out here that people tell specifically about successful people is that they had perfect timing or they started when they felt like it. Right? Now let's be clear, timing do play a part. But we're talking about the start. Because one of the biggest steps you'll take is the startup step. And what I need you to understand is the people that have brought tremendous discoveries to the table, the people who have really they're living their lives, whether you've heard of them or not. Trust me, when I travel all over the globe and I meet people, they didn't start when they were ready. They just got started. They were scared, they doubted themselves. Uh, they didn't have all the answers, but they moved anyway. And the movement gave them clarity that they needed at that time. See, most people think you will have crystal clear, clarity, right, before you get started, but you don't. See, action is the thing that creates clarity because everything else is just an idea. Now, don't get me wrong, your idea will give you the clarity of the finishing product or the idea of what it could be. But we're talking about the clarity to go from A to Z. Nobody gets the clarity of that. It's just like the confidence. You can't think your way into confidence. This is why I want you to understand, black sheep. You will meet people that got a mouthpiece for the gods of Rome. Okay? And they will talk their way in. It's their confidence. Their mouthpiece is their confidence. But what I need you to understand, real confidence comes when you make moves. Because what I want you to understand as a black sheep, when you discover people that's been all talking, no action, they get pissed off because they know when it's time to do put the work in, they're not built that way. That's not a part of who they are. And so you must understand that confidence is built when you move. You know, there's a quote that is often attributed to the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Zhu, and he is the guy that wrote The Art of War, I believe. But the quote, and I've always remembered this quote, but it says, A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Think about that. Not a thousand steps. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, not a perfect plan, one step. See, nobody is asking for you to finish the journey today. Life only asks you to take the next step. That's all. So you can take the pressure off, the load off, and don't ever let anybody rush you. Because people will put you on their timeline of success and tell you that you should have already been somewhere. No, one step at a time, one day at a time. That's all. And here is something that people don't want you to know, Black Sheep. You already have more than you think. This is why people will hate on you and they don't even know you. You're sitting there thinking, like, why are you hating on me? This don't even make sense. This is stupid, and all of those things, right? You know why? Because you already have more than you think. See, maybe you don't have the perfect life, the perfect equipment or website or perfect business plan, but guess what you have? You got your story, you got your life experiences, your ideas, your gifts. Black sheep, you can't tell me that you've had ideas that you share with people, and you had some of these people that went off and stole your idea and flexed like it was theirs. See, black sheep, you got everything you need for right now to get started. You got your voice, and that's enough to begin. See, don't confuse not having everything with not having nothing. Okay, those are two completely different things, just two completely different things. But movement will reveal the next clue. This is one of my favorite principles because life reveals itself in motion. Okay, you gotta stay in motion. See, when you're intentional about your purpose, this is why I always talk to you, black sheets, from the point of purpose, discovering your life purpose, because this is the only thing that people cannot take away from you. Of course, people will copy and try to duplicate and replicate what you're doing, but you're the only one with your fingerprinting, your DMA DNA. So, regardless of what they try to compete and copy and all of that stupid stuff, guess what? They don't have your recipe, they don't have your sauce. So you don't, and we know the sauce is a boss, so you don't even have to sweat it, you don't have to get upset. You know what they did? They revealed that they were really secretly in competition with you. So when you start to move in divine purpose, even while you have a job, this is what's so magical about it. But listen, when you are intentional about your purpose, that thing that you know you were born to do, or you're moving in the intention of discovering that, the next clue will appear it will be revealed to you. Now, it doesn't appear while you're just sitting there like a mannequin, it appears while you're moving. It's just like you're driving at night. Think about it for a hot second. Your headlights don't illuminate the whole trip. I don't care if you was going one mile up the road, especially if you want if you're on one of them back roads, your headlights only show you the next stretch of the road, which is probably like what, one or two feet. But if you keep driving, the road keeps revealing itself. Purpose works the same way, faith works the same way, and life worked that way as well. Take the next step, and until you keep taking the next step, and it will continue to reveal itself as you make moves. You understand what I'm saying, black sheep? This is why you gotta stay making moves. This is why when I talked to you guys about how to move when we were talking about moving in silence, I also talked to you about a boxing uh term that I learned a while back called stick and move. Hit make your hit and move. You gotta stay unpredictable. Now you can be consistent and predictable in your life, right? But to everyone else, this is why you move in silence while the life path is being is being revealed to you, right? You're building, but you're not letting people know what you got going on, you're not revealing everything you're doing because you don't know what the next step will reveal. At the end of the day, guys, this is still life. But check this out, let's talk about the black sheep advantage. Because one thing I love about us black sheep's family is that we've learned how to build from almost nothing. See, this is another reason why people be hating on you. Some of y'all don't understand. People like they're looking at you like they count you out, you still showing up. They can't help but be mad because they counted wrong when they counted you out. Don't think it's strange when people start flipping out on you, and I don't mean in your face because you already know that they'll have to it'll be somebody they'll have to answer to if they come acting crazy in your face. I'm talking about how a lot of people start acting funny towards you, you know, real weird friends and family. You know what I'm telling you, elf them people. But guess what? What they don't understand is black sheep, we can be down with people or we don't have to. Why? Because we are we've learned how to build from almost nothing, we've learned how to create opportunities instead of waiting for them, right? See, while people out here protesting about any and everything, black sheep, I don't advise it. Now, listen, if you feel like that's your life work, hey, by all means, have at it. But listen, how a black sheep move, while people out here complaining and protesting about all kinds of stuff, black sheep, that's your time to make your moves. Those are times when you make your opportunities for you and your family. See, we've learned how to survive in the good, bad, and the ugly. Nobody wanted us on their team, nobody has been looking out for us. We've always known nobody's coming to save us. So this works to our advantage when we're talking about stepping out on what you're doing, making that move. Why? Because most black sheep, if you really come from the bottom, I say I come from the bottom of the basement. I'm a representative to the end, right? Don't get me wrong, that's your past, but your past is the thing, is the thing that is really going to propel you to your future. We don't live there, we use it as fuel. You understand what I'm saying? I don't live in the past. Some people just live in the past, they just still back there, upset and bitter. No, you use it as fuel, you use it as rocket fuel to take off and launch. You don't you don't use it as a crap pot, a crap bed, and just sit there in it. No, who does that? Dust buckets, and we're not doing that, right? So we've learned how to build opportunities and created opportunities for ourselves instead of waiting on them. Now it's time to learn how to build. And builders don't wait for perfect conditions. Builders build even when they don't have all the materials. This is your permission to start building. So let me give it to you guys. Listen, start before you're ready. Learn as you go. That is the key to life. See, people will always try to rush you, will always try to rush you. I was thinking about, it's crazy because I was just thinking about someone that's been showing me a skill that I've been picking up on in black sheep. I always tell you as we're building our businesses, there's still a lot of skills that you can learn and get paid while you're learning in corporate America. This is why I never look down on jobs, I never look down on working for other people. It's even wrote in one of the wisest books on earth, over 2,000 years old, and it says, if a person cannot manage somebody else's affairs, someone else's business, they're not going to be able to do it on their own. So when you see people that show up late and just work raggedy, look crazy, and leaving early, not consistent, and they start talking about, yeah, I'm gonna start me in business, you already know they're lying. You already know they lying. Okay, so I want you to understand that you learn as you go, and people will put you on their timeline of success. That's what I was saying. So this lady has been teaching me a skill, and she's been doing it for over a decade, and while she's showing me, and I've only been learning it for the last two to three weeks, and she's asking, Oh, this should only take this time, it should only but you speaking from a person that's been doing it for over a decade, and you know, I was pondering on should I tell her that? You know, because I like to give people let them know because some people, listen to me, black sheep, some people don't know how to teach, and you have to excuse them, you have to pardon them, and you have to really want what you want bad enough to sometimes deal with different personalities. Okay, don't get me wrong, you gotta know when to hold them and know when to fold them. Everybody has their own scenario, but like I was telling you today, I was pondering on should I tell her that? Because people get offended so easily now. And don't get me wrong, black sheep. I really am at a place where I don't care, but at the same time, I'm looking at my long-term vision, and she is actually showing me the stuff, right? Because I had someone else that didn't want to really show it. You know, we got a lot of gatekeepers out here, right? And so, and it's and what I love it, that's why I love YouTube because a lot of stuff you can learn it on your own, but sometimes it's really good to get someone to tell you the insight on it, you know. And so I'm like, you know, should I? Because what it really is involved in analytics, and analytics, anytime you're dealing with analytics, it's very detail-oriented. Okay. What I need you to understand about details is that details take time. People that are detailed oriented, they are slow moving a lot of times, they're not rushing. Only time they get fast, you know what help people pick up speed? Repetition. And I really want to explain that to her, but I'm like, you know, I'm asking the creator, God, please give me the correct way, or really not to say nothing at all and just learn, right? But I'm saying all that to say, Black Sheep family, give I'm giving you permission, give yourself permission. I can't give you, give yourself permission to learn as you go, give yourself permission to make the mistakes and approve and then improve, right? Because nobody starts as an expert. Every expert was once a beginner who simply refused to quit. I'm gonna read it again because I really want you to understand. Because whatever that thing is you've been doing, I want you to take the pressure off Black Sheep family. Because I know how you are. We want to do it right, we don't want to make mistakes. We're tired of looking crazy and fumbling. But listen to me. Every expert was once a beginner, they simply refuse to quit. This is why you don't let people put you on their timeline of success. All right. So let me give you these three black sheep action moves. Number one, identify that one thing you've been postponing, right? Whether it be a small dream, medium dream, or a large dream, identify the one thing you've been postponing. Okay, write it down and then ask yourself and be honest about it, be completely raw about it, and ask yourself, what am I really waiting for? What is it? What is it? Ask yourself, what am I really waiting for? I remember I had one particular person that I used to do business with, and every single thing, they had a huge vision, but every single time it was time to make an action step, they didn't do it. They took forever. They took forever on any and everything. It could be something as small as sending the logo, it would take a week or two. My black sheep family, I love you enough to tell you, listen, really be honest with yourself. Ask yourself, what are you waiting for? Do not allow perfection to become procrastination on your vision. Step two, take one imperfect step today, not tomorrow, not next week, today. So let me let me tell you something really quickly. Because and and this is the because I always try to remind you as you're listening to this podcast. I don't do it in every episode, but I need you to understand that I practice what I preach. I'm just not coming up here creating episodes, right? For no reason. I'm passionate about what I'm doing. I live these things that I'm saying, I'm researching, I'm really, really passionate about self-development and professional development. I've been doing it for over a decade. Okay, and step number two, take one imperfect step today. So I use this concept every time that I make an episode for the podcast. If you've been rocking with me for day from day one, okay, if you've been rocking with me from day one, you will see the evolution of the podcast episodes. I don't go back and cut things out. We started in the beginning, we didn't have any music, then we advanced to having some music, we've changed some of the beats up, but again, when I when I kick out these episodes, I'm doing it straight. Don't get me wrong, guys. Sometimes it takes me one to three different takes, right? But for the most part, on 75% of the episodes, it's a one-take deal, and I leave the imperfections in. Why? Because progress beats perfection every single time, every single time. Let me tell you guys something really quickly here that I'm so proud of, and I want you to be proud of it because I want you to understand this is living proof on what you can do in your life as well. We are coming up on our 50th episode milestone. Yes, cut a noise. I mean, I'm when I tell you I'm so excited about it, I'm I'm so excited because it is living proof and it shows what taking imperfect steps every single day can build up to in progress. You can hear the improvements, of course. I'm gonna continue to fumble, I'm human, but guess what? I'm gonna continue to take the steps. Why? Because progress beats perfection every single time. Okay, we even have a saying, uh Urban saying that hard work beats talent every single time, and it's absolutely right. Even though everyone is blessed with talents, some people don't understand that it is their responsibility to develop their talents, but they don't, they get cocky with fake confidence and ego, and then when that hardworking person has been going hard in the paint comes up and just pass them on up, guess what? Now they mad, now they're jealous, now they envious. Why? Because hard work beats talent every single time. Step three, trust the process. Listen, do not demand that life show you the entire staircase because life is not gonna show it to you. I don't care what guru you listen to, life is not going to show you the entire staircase. You have to take the next step, then trust that the next one will appear when it is time. Trusting the process also allows you to step away from the competing comparison riff raff. Okay, because people love to compete and compare. Well, how can we do that if I'm in my own process? Like, what type of time are they on? You know what type of time they on low self-esteem time. Because when you understand the process, nobody can rush their process. The process is only accelerated depending upon the decisions that you make. That's one of my one of my mentors, Dr. Mike Murdoch, he's really, really good. He's really good. And he one of his principles is your future life, your future self happens at the rate of your decisions. That's why I always tell you, Black Sheep family, to ask yourself, is this helping me or is this hindering me? Is this helping me or is this holding me back? And you can apply that to people, persons, places, or things. It don't matter. It don't matter. Simply ask yourself, is this hurting me or is this helping me? Is this holding me back or is this holding me up? Okay, trust the process though. Take the next step, then trust that in due time, just like a seed, you're a seed. When you plant that seed, you're not looking for a whole. If you planted an apple seed today, you're not looking for a big old um apple tree tomorrow, right? But what you're gonna do, you're gonna keep watering it. You're gonna make sure it gets the sun that it needs, it gets everything that it needs. Why? Because you trust the process and you know that when it's time, it will grow. And that's the same thing with you. See, black sheep, stop waiting for that coast to be clear because it never will be. But I want you to build anyway, make your move anyway, stay in motion anyway, believe for it anyway. Start where you are because history has never been made by people who waited for perfect conditions, it has always been made by people who were willing to launch out while the ways were still crashing. Until next time, my friend, keep in mind information is everywhere, but execution is rare.