The Blank Page Problem: Why Starting Bad Is Better Than Not Starting at All

You can always fix the imperfect. You just can’t fix what doesn’t exist.

By

Josh Felgoise

Nov 4, 2025

There’s a moment before every big change where nothing’s happened yet. No progress. No mistakes. Just the heavy silence of waiting to start.

That’s the blank page problem.

You know you want to do something, whether it’s writing, applying, launching, asking, or speaking up, but your brain keeps whispering not yet. You convince yourself you’re waiting for the right time, when really, you’re waiting to feel ready.

But readiness is a trap.

Ryan Steck said it best in our conversation:

“You can always edit bad pages. You just can’t edit blank pages.”

That line isn’t just about writing. It’s about life. About every time you’ve had an idea, a plan, a dream, and talked yourself out of it before you even tried.

The Fear of Looking Stupid

We don’t procrastinate because we’re lazy. We procrastinate because we’re afraid to look like beginners.

It’s easier to plan endlessly than to face the truth of your first draft. Once you start, you can fail. Once you share, you can be judged. But until you take action, the fantasy version of success stays safe.

That’s why so many people spend years in the “almost” stage.

Simon Gervais did, too.

“It took me seven years to write my first novel,” he said. “When I signed a contract, I had another book due a year later. I told my wife I wanted to try it full-time, and she said absolutely.”

Seven years. Seven years of hesitation, rewriting, questioning, and waiting to feel ready until finally he realized he couldn’t wait any longer.

Simon’s story shows what happens when you don’t take the leap soon enough. Ryan’s line shows what happens when you finally do. Together, they’re the full equation.

Starting too late can cost you time.
Starting too early might cost you comfort.
Waiting forever will cost you both.

The Power of Bad Starts

When Simon finally took that risk, he left a six-figure counterterrorism job protecting world leaders. No safety net. No certainty. Just belief.

He didn’t know the odds. He didn’t know the business. He just started.

That’s the move most people avoid, the one where you stop asking if it will work and decide to find out.

The first version of anything will always be messy. The first try will always feel too small. But perfection isn’t the price of entry. It’s the reward for not quitting.

If you’re trying to start over, read The Risk That Changes Everything: Why Starting Over Is the Real Test of Confidence.

The Confidence Loop

Confidence doesn’t show up before you act. It shows up because you acted.

Simon and Ryan both built careers on discipline, not motivation.

“Whatever I need to do to get to my objective, I will do. It doesn’t matter if I’m at the end of a deadline and need to work twenty-hour days.”

That’s what real confidence looks like, not loud or forced, just earned.

If you want to rebuild that kind of momentum, start with How to Build Confidence from Scratch.

Progress Over Perfection

We all want to be great. But greatness only comes after a string of ugly starts.

Writers know the first draft is supposed to be rough. Athletes know the first rep is supposed to hurt. Creators know the first version is supposed to flop.

The sooner you accept that, the faster you move.

You can’t improve what doesn’t exist. You can only refine what’s real.

It’s not just about writing. It’s about sending the message, launching the idea, asking the question, saying what you mean.

You can always edit bad. You can’t edit nothing.

My Favroite Quotes

“You can always edit bad pages. You just can’t edit blank pages.”
“It took me seven years to write my first novel.”
“Perfection isn’t the price of entry. It’s the reward for not quitting.”