I’m not ready I’ll do it when I’m ready

The Samskar of Readiness is a mental pattern that causes people to hesitate in taking action due to a feeling of not being prepared enough. This samskar can lead to a cycle of eternal preparation without ever feeling ready to actually perform the task.

Key points:

• Readiness is often a feeling rather than an objective state
• The mind uses this samskar to protect us from potential failure, shame, and embarrassment
• It can result in either excessive preparation or complete avoidance of the task
• This samskar can prevent progress despite actual preparation and knowledge gain

How to identify and overcome the Samskar of Readiness:

1. Notice when your mind tells you you’re not ready
2. Observe what actions these thoughts motivate (more preparation or avoidance)
3. Pay attention to whether taking steps forward increases confidence or leads to demands for more preparation
4. Identify the emotions you’re trying to protect yourself from
5. Recognize that readiness is a feeling, not an objective measure
6. Acknowledge your actual preparation and take action despite not feeling fully ready

“Sometimes when we hesitate to do something, a part of our mind tells us Oh, I’m not ready yet. There are some things in life that we really want to do, but we never feel like we can really do them because we just don’t feel ready.”

“Essentially readiness is an antidote to uncertainty or uncertainty and failure. That’s what it helps us do. Because when I’m ready, I know I can handle it.”

Reflective questions:

• In what areas of your life do you find yourself constantly preparing without taking action?
• How has the feeling of not being ready held you back in the past?
• What emotions are you trying to avoid by telling yourself you’re not ready?
• How can you differentiate between genuine preparation and the Samskar of Readiness in your life?

Samskars, Overcoming Fear, Taking Action, Self-Doubt, Perfectionism

Readiness is more of a subjective feeling than an objective state. Understanding the nature of readiness can help in overcoming the Samskar of Readiness.

Key aspects of readiness:

• Associated with positive outcomes (e.g., good grades on a test)
• Leads to confidence and a sense of ease in approaching tasks
• Contrasts with unreadiness, which is associated with negative emotions and potential failure

The challenge:

• No objective measure exists for readiness
• Continuous preparation may not address the underlying emotional aspect of feeling ready

“How do you know that you’re ready for a test? There is no blood test you can do there’s no measurement that you can take readiness is a feeling”

“When you take a step forward. Does the feeling of readiness actually increase? Does taking an action help you feel more confident?”

Reflective questions:

• How do you personally define being “ready” for something?
• Can you recall a time when you felt completely ready for a task? What contributed to that feeling?
• How might your perception of readiness be influenced by past experiences or fears?
• In what ways could embracing uncertainty contribute to personal growth and success?

Confidence, Emotional Intelligence, Growth Mindset, Comfort Zone

Strategies to overcome the Samskar of Readiness and take action despite feeling unprepared.

Steps to combat the Samskar:

1. Notice the thought patterns telling you you’re not ready
2. Observe what these thoughts motivate you to do (prepare more or avoid)
3. Pay attention to whether taking steps increases confidence or leads to demands for more preparation
4. Identify the emotions you’re trying to protect yourself from
5. Recognize that readiness is a feeling, not an objective measure
6. Acknowledge your actual preparation and take action despite not feeling fully ready

“The first thing like all other Samskars is to notice this action in your mind. Pay attention to your mind and try to see why does your mind tell you that you’re not ready? What’s going on there? When do these thoughts crop up?”

“As you begin to notice all of these things, hopefully you can start to combat this Samskar. As you have these kinds of thoughts. You can sort of tell yourself even though I don’t feel ready, that’s just a feeling I’ve actually studied for three months for this test.”

Reflective questions:

• What specific actions can you take to challenge your feelings of unreadiness?
• How might your life change if you started taking action before feeling completely ready?
• What small steps could you take today to move forward on a task you’ve been putting off?
• How can you reframe your perception of failure to reduce its emotional impact?

Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, Action-Oriented Mindset, Emotional Regulation