The Day I Stopped Waiting for Permission and Started Going First

When's the last time you did something for the first time? Something that made your hands shake, your heart pound, and that little voice in your head whisper, "Could I really pull this off?"

I used to think I needed certainty before I could take bold action. I thought I needed a five-year plan, complete confidence, and a guarantee of success. But here's what I've learned after helping thousands of people achieve their first pull-up and watching them transform their entire lives in the process: going first isn't about being fearless—it's about being tired of waiting.

The Pull-Up That Changed Everything

I remember the first woman who walked into my gym, arms crossed, staring up at the pull-up bar like it was Mount Everest. "I've never done this before," she said. "I was told this wasn't for me." Sound familiar?

What happened next wasn't magic—it was methodical. We started with just hanging. Then a slight bend in the elbow. Progress, setback, progress again. The classic roller coaster of growth. But on one random, frustrating Tuesday, she hopped up to that bar and pulled her chin right over it.

The scream of joy that followed wasn't about the pull-up. It was about the realization: If I can do this, what else have I been telling myself I can't do?

Three Traits of People Who Go First

After coaching thousands through this journey, I've noticed that those who break through share three key characteristics:

1. Their 1% courage beats 100% certainty. You don't need to know exactly how it's going to happen. You just need one breath, one step, one shaky action forward.

2. They break it down. Big dreams overwhelm, but micro goals create macro momentum. Celebrate going from a hang to a slight bend in the elbow. Progress is progress.

3. They stay adaptable. There's no perfect path. Their willingness to pivot, fail, and try again is what sets them apart. Innovation happens in the adaptation.

Your Moment Is Now

Being first isn't about being the strongest, smartest, or best. It's about being brave enough to begin. It's about showing your younger self—and everyone watching—that you're allowed to try, to want more, to go first.

The pull-up is just a metaphor. Your "first time" might be launching that business idea living in your notes app, applying for the dream job, or finally saying out loud what you really want.

So I'll ask you again: When's the last time you did something for the first time? And what would happen if you stopped waiting for permission and started writing that first chapter right now?

Don't wait for someone else to go first. You can be the first. And just watch—just watch what happens next.