We have all been there. You have an idea, maybe for an app, a design project, or even a business. You start mapping things out, figuring out every possible angle, and making sure everything is perfect before you take the first step. The problem is that the first step keeps getting pushed further away.

Planning feels productive, but most of the time, it is just procrastination in disguise. It gives us the illusion of progress while keeping us in our comfort zone. We tell ourselves we will start once we have figured everything out. The reality is that you will never figure everything out until you start.

A great example of this is the Marshmallow Challenge, a well-documented experiment where teams try to build the tallest free-standing structure using spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow on top. Sounds simple, right? Research has shown that children consistently outperform adults in this challenge. The reason is that kids iterate. Instead of spending all their time planning, they test, adjust, and keep improving their structure.

Kindergarteners VS CEOs: The unexpected results of the ‘Marshmallow Challenge’ - Anneke Janse van Rensburg

Adults tend to overthink. They plan every detail, only to realize too late that their structure does not work. By the time they start making adjustments, it is already collapsing. The lesson is that you do not learn by thinking. You learn by doing.

The same principle applies to design, development, and pretty much everything else. The best products, the best companies, and the best ideas were not built through endless meetings and strategy documents. They were built through iteration, small steps, testing, and adapting.

If you have been waiting to start something, ask yourself:

• Am I actually planning, or am I just avoiding taking action?

• What is the smallest possible version of this idea I could launch today?

• How can I build, test, and learn before committing to a rigid plan?

Progress happens when you move, not when you strategize in a vacuum.