No, this isn’t some 90-day quick-fix guide. #
On one hand, I ghostwrite for company executives; on the other, I still have to ask ChatGPT to check my grammar before sending messages or emails.
This doesn’t mean I’m incompetent; it simply shows that I’m still learning, and I plan to keep learning for the rest of my life.
Three years ago, I started this journey not because I was a great writer from the get-go, but purely because I didn’t foolishly wait for that so-called “perfect moment.”
- My English used to be quite shaky, and I often felt at a loss for words in meetings, yet somehow, I still managed to close those deals.
- I was rejected time and again, but eventually, I found both jobs and writing gigs.
- There were several times when I felt embarrassed after being called out for grammatical errors.
But each time, it taught me something, helping me perform better the next time.
Because we can’t become experts overnight; mastery is slowly forged through continuous mistakes and corrections.
I grew up in a small mountain village where only two or three career paths were considered mainstream. Initially, I was completely in the dark, with no idea where to even begin. It took me a year just to figure out where to start, and another two years to discover what felt meaningful and could also sustain me. Even then, I still occasionally ask myself: what am I even doing all this for? Simply because my mind constantly generates a torrent of random, uncontrollable questions.
And where most people go wrong is:
They always want to wait until they’re 100% ready before they start.
“I’ll start once I’ve completely mastered it.”
But the truth is?
You’ll never become an expert if you don’t start.
You always have only two choices:
- Start today, and in two years, you’ll find yourself in a completely new place.
- Keep waiting, and you’ll stay exactly where you are.
If you’re the first type of person, congratulations, you’re in the right place.
Let me share three steps that have helped me grow, improve, and stay on the right track.
These aren’t fancy tricks, but rather good habits worth sticking to in the long run:
Step One: Be Brutally Honest with Yourself. #
Stop and ask yourself:
- Where did I mess up? Where did I fall short?
- Which skills still need significant honing?
- Where have I been stuck lately?
- What things have I been avoiding but absolutely need to do?
- What am I good at?
Take a good, hard look at yourself.
Because the starting point of progress is self-acceptance. The moment you truly face yourself, you’ll realize you’re already growing.
As you reflect, make sure to also jot down solutions, list those tiny actions, and record your takeaways.
Now, let’s move on to the second step. This one is something I only figured out after stumbling countless times.
Step Two: Tackle One Problem at a Time. #
When you’re listing actions to take, don’t make the same mistake I used to:
I always tried to do everything at once.
The result? After a week, I’d forget to do some things; after a month, I couldn’t even remember half of what I started.
So, despite my self-analysis, the problems remained the same, with no change.
Things didn’t truly turn around until I made this shift:
- Take one step at a time.
If I had five problems listed, I’d pick just one to solve first.
Crush it. Learn from it. Then, move on to the next one.
After making this change, my progress became visible. This allowed me to keep going consistently, and I didn’t feel overwhelmed when working.
Step Three: Hold Yourself Accountable #
What makes successful people different?
They won’t say:
“I have this problem; I’m just too lazy.”
“That’s just how I am.”
They will ask:
“If this is my default behavior, what can I do today to ensure I don’t repeat it tomorrow?”
They don’t just coast along, thereby indulging their shortcomings.
They design simple solutions that work for them, solutions they can easily stick to.
That’s how they hold themselves accountable. And this sense of responsibility is precisely what sets them apart.
I once read a quote somewhere:
“Embarrassment is the cost of entry. If you’re not willing to be a foolish beginner, you’ll never become a graceful master.” — Ed Latimore
The question is—are you willing to pay that price?
To become a master, you first have to be a resilient beginner, always seeking solutions.
To earn a significant income, you must first become an eager student.