Conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday’ is a myth. Do it now. This quote from Timothy Ferriss is a powerful antidote to the procrastination and perfectionism that holds so many of us back from taking action on our biggest goals.
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Meaning
At its core, this is a call to action against waiting for the “perfect” moment, which doesn’t exist. It’s about embracing imperfection and starting now.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen this play out so many times. We get an idea—a business, a project, a lifestyle change—and we immediately start creating a list of prerequisites. “I’ll launch the website once I have the perfect logo.” Or “I’ll start that side hustle when the economy is more stable.” It’s a trap. That perfect set of conditions is a mirage. What Ferriss is really getting at, and I’ve found this to be brutally true, is that action creates clarity, not the other way around. You don’t figure everything out and then start. You start, and then you figure it out. The momentum you build by just doing the thing is infinitely more valuable than any hypothetical perfect plan. Waiting for ‘someday’ is just a polite way of saying ‘never’.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Success (341) |
| Topics | action (112), fear (92) |
| Literary Style | concise (408) |
| Emotion / Mood | urgent (23) |
| Overall Quote Score | 80 (256) |
Origin & Factcheck
This quote comes straight from Timothy Ferriss’s 2007 bestselling book, The 4-Hour Workweek, which really helped popularize this kind of “lifestyle design” thinking. It’s often misattributed to other motivational figures or even ancient philosophers, but the phrasing and the core message are pure Ferriss from that era.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Timothy Ferriss (145) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (49) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Timothy Ferriss writes and builds systems that help people work less and achieve more. He broke out with The 4-Hour Workweek and followed with books on body optimization, accelerated learning, and distilled tactics from top performers. He hosts The Tim Ferriss Show, one of the most-downloaded podcasts globally, and has invested in notable technology startups. The Timothy Ferriss book list continues to influence entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals seeking leverage. He studied East Asian Studies at Princeton, founded and sold a supplement company, and actively supports psychedelic science research.
| Official Website | Facebook | X| Instagram | YouTube
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday’ is a myth. Do it now |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2007; ISBN: 9780307353139; Last Edition: Expanded and Updated Edition (2009); Number of Pages: 416. |
| Where is it? | Chapter: Definition; Approximate page from 2009 edition: 59/416 |