Most of the big changes in my life didn’t start with a plan. They started with frustration, hope, and the decision to try something, anything.

We’re told these days that we can’t start anything unless we’ve got a polished five-year plan, a business strategy, or some perfect vision. I bought into that for way too long. I held off on dreams because I thought I wasn’t ready.

Worse, I thought that I’d missed my shot.

But when you’re rebuilding your life at 40, 50, or beyond, sometimes all you’ve got is the next right step.

I used to think that if I didn’t have a clear map, I couldn’t move. That the window had closed. That I was too late.

But the truth is, clarity doesn’t show up with a megaphone before you start. It usually whispers after you’ve already taken the first step.

My Story: Starting from Uncertainty

When you’re trying to make big changes, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the whole picture. Coming out of the fog at 42, feeling like I’d wasted decades of my life, I had huge dreams. But, I had no idea where to begin.

I wanted to go back to college. Maybe even aim higher: grad school, a doctorate. But the whole thing felt massive. I didn’t know how to take that first step. So, I didn’t. Not for years.

Then one day, after moving to the Philippines, I stopped overthinking it. I found a solid online college in the U.S. and jumped in with no master plan, no roadmap, just a gut feeling that it was time.

Three years later, I graduated Summa Cum Laude in January 2024.

But I walked away from college with more than a degree. I also left with a kind of burnout I hadn’t expected. Writing was the thing I loved most, but it felt distant. Forced.

AI changed that. During school, I used it to organize research and build outlines for those weekly brutal essays. After graduation, I kept exploring how it could make life easier.

Turns out, it also helped me find my voice again.

Progress didn’t come from knowing everything. It came from showing up anyway.

I didn’t have a plan. But I had a reason. And sometimes, that’s enough.

Reframing the Myth

I used to believe that success belonged to people with detailed plans. If I couldn’t see the full path, I figured it wasn’t worth starting.

But what I’ve learned is that purpose isn’t something you find all at once, it’s something that grows through action.

“Purpose through practice” means figuring things out while you’re doing them. Writing your way into a clear plan. Living your way into something meaningful. It’s not always clean or or a straight line, but it’s real.

When I returned to writing, I didn’t have a fancy content strategy or a tech bro business model. I had a voice I hadn’t used in years and a deep need to see if it still worked.

And that was enough.

The more I moved, the more the fog lifted. The momentum came because I started and not the other way around.

Early on, I inhaled advice from so-called experts. I was like a sponge. They all preached systems, mastery, 10,000 hours. And sure, planning has its place.

But for people like us? Sometimes planning becomes procrastination in disguise.

You build momentum by doing. Not by waiting for perfection.

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

What the Next Step Might Look Like

You don’t need a full plan right now. Just having an idea of where you want to go and the desire to start is enough.

For me, that meant writing again. I wanted to connect with people like me; folks navigating their second act and trying to figure out how to bring their creativity back to life.

Even now, with clearer goals and a vision for the future, I still don’t have a perfect blueprint. I’m figuring it out as I go.

So what might your next step look like?

• Writing the first paragraph of your story
• Taking a walk and letting your mind wander
• Asking AI to help explore a business idea
• Reaching out to someone who inspires you
• Signing up for a class, even if it scares you

Whatever it is, just start.

You’re Not Behind

If you’re starting over at 40, 50, 60 , it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re human. It means your story isn’t finished yet.

There’s no perfect roadmap. This isn’t anyone else’s race. It’s your second act, and it’s yours to shape.

Need support? Ask for it. Ask AI. Ask your partner, your friend. Or ask me. I’ll always show up if I can.

The path clears as you walk it. You’ve just got to take that step.