This was the toughest sentence to write in this whole blog. Why? Because it was the starting sentence, and starting anything—whether it’s an essay, a gym routine, or a business—is a huge challenge.

You’ve probably experienced the startup struggle yourself. You’ve got an innovative idea or goal that you’ve put on the shelf. You’re not procrastinating, just waiting for the right moment. Good news: the right moment is now.

The fact is, just starting something is the most important thing you can do to turn your ideas into realities. Here’s why making your first move is key to success, and how to do it.

Take One Step

A proverb from Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu says “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

When you’re aiming high and dreaming big, even one small move in the right direction will get you closer to your goal. This is your official reminder that you don’t have to do everything at once—it is enough to start small.

Breaking your plan of execution into bite-sized pieces will help you in the long run. One step will motivate you to take another. Before you know it, your small move will lead to big moves. With a single step, you’re on your way.

Banish Perfectionism

Real talk: that nagging urge to be perfect is holding you back.

If you never put a plan into action until it’s flawless—you might never put anything out there at all. Even worse, you could overthink your original vision until it’s bogged down and overworked.

We hear you, it seems counterintuitive to cut back on the polish, but consider the fact that you can modify and tweak as you go. Putting out something that is good is the first move towards getting feedback and eventually putting out something that’s great. Do the thing, learn, and do the thing even better next time.

Adopt this mantra: done is better than perfect.

Tap Your Resources

Maybe you really want to take the first step of your thousand-mile journey, but have no idea how.

The best way to move past this is to talk to others about how they developed their ideas, and find tools to get you moving.

A resource like the The League of Innovators’ Startup Workbook will help you tackle all-important and sometimes daunting task of getting started on your big idea.

Whether it’s a blog, a business, or something in-between, the LOI Startup Workbook can ensure your start off on the right foot. It will help you make your original idea the best it can be, determine a minimum viable product, push your idea to market, and more—best of all, it’s free.

By looking for guidance and tools, you can make sure your start is a strong one.