Waiting for the 'Right Time': Moving Beyond the Illusion of Perfect Timing

Breakthroughs aren’t about waiting for everything to line up, but in understanding why we hesitate and choosing to begin anyway.

We've all been there: staring at the unopened notebook, the job application left in draft, the conversation we keep rehearsing in our heads. We tell ourselves we are waiting for the right time…"when things settle down," "when we feel more confident," or "when Mars completes its retrograde."

But more often than not, that “perfect moment” never arrives in the way we imagine it.

The right time is less about timing and more about readiness. And readiness is not as simple as waking up one day and suddenly feeling brave enough to leap. It is a dynamic process shaped by several factors that include time, energy, information, choice, and perspective.

What Does It Mean to Be Ready?

To be “ready” doesn’t mean eliminating all doubt or hesitation. Readiness is not a finish line we cross. It’s a posture we adopt. It’s the willingness to engage, even if the conditions aren’t flawless.

Deciding is itself an act of readiness.

Think of readiness as a spectrum: sometimes we’re almost there but missing one key piece. Other times we’re completely depleted and need restoration before moving forward.

Recognizing where we are on this spectrum is often the first step toward action.

The Three Ingredients of Readiness

At its core, readiness requires three essential ingredients.

• Time. We may never have endless hours, but readiness often comes when we intentionally carve out space. That might mean protecting an evening for reflection, or blocking a weekend for planning. Without space, possibilities cannot exist.

  
  

• Energy. Even with plenty of time, low energy can keep us stuck. Emotional resilience, physical health, and mental clarity are all part of the fuel that moves us forward. Readiness grows when we replenish and recharge rather than run on empty.

  
  

• Information. Sometimes what looks like procrastination is really a lack of clarity. We delay because we don’t yet know enough to take the next step. Seeking out information, guidance, or perspective can dissolve uncertainty and build confidence.

When these three elements work together, readiness shifts from abstract to tangible, and eventual fulfillment.

The Power of Choice

There is another ingredient we can’t ignore: Choice. Readiness isn’t only about circumstances, but about recognizing our freedom to decide.

Choice carries multiple layers: the ability to act, the freedom to say yes or no, and the conviction to move forward despite uncertainty. Deciding is itself an act of readiness. It’s how we signal to ourselves that we are willing to step into the unknown and trust our capacity to adjust along the way.

The Myth of the Perfect Moment

Here’s the catch: waiting for the “perfect moment” often keeps us stuck—indefinitely.

The flawless alignment of time, energy, and information rarely happens. More often, our waiting masks something deeper, such as fear of failure, discomfort with change, or self-doubt.

The “perfect moment” is an illusion. The breakthrough comes not when everything lines up, but when we get curious about why we are hesitating. Naming the fear or resistance beneath the delay often frees us more than the passage of time ever could.

Readiness on the Horizon

This is where relational intelligence comes in, which is the ability to recognize how things exist from our unique vantage point, and then decide how we want to engage with them.

For readiness, this means noticing:

• How do I relate to time right now? Do I see it as scarce, abundant, or negotiable?

  
  

• How do I relate to my energy? Am I drained, replenished, or somewhere in between?

  
  

• How do I relate to information? Am I lost in too much of it, or paralyzed by not enough?

By seeing readiness through this lens, we gain agency and a clarity that guides us toward a meaningful outcome. We may not control every variable, but we can choose how to respond and, just as important, how to act.

Progress Over Perfection

Waiting for the right time is often another way of waiting for permission…from life, from others, and from circumstances. But the most important permission is the one we grant ourselves: to begin, however imperfectly.

Being ready doesn’t mean everything is in place. It means we have acknowledged where we stand, gathered what we can, and chosen to take the next step.

And the next step doesn’t have to be huge. Sometimes the smallest action is what shifts momentum.

At GlideView, we believe readiness is not about a single moment but about building capacity over time. That’s why our 10-Year Visionnaire Program exists: to help people explore what exists within their vantage point, align with their values, and take intentional steps toward the future they want.

Because the right time isn’t waiting out there somewhere.

It’s the moment you decide to move forward.

➤ About GlideView Collective

GlideView is a personal transformation company that helps people who are going through a major life transition to design the next decade of their lives with clarity and purpose. Our flagship 10-Year Visionnaire Program is an eight-week guided small-group experience for individuals who are motivated by personal growth. Through facilitated sessions, intentional reflection, and deliberate planning, participants craft an audacious and meaningful 10-year vision with the support of a like-hearted community.

GlideView programs empower individuals by providing content that increases self-awareness and uncovers internal resources, enabling them to thrive naturally and take progressive action as they navigate this pivotal stage of life.