Build Your Cliff

When You’re Ready, But Don’t Know Where to Jump

My journey began with a “Leap” which basically means going after what you want or what we think we want.

You know.. Quit your job. Start a business. Bet on yourself. Take the next step.

It all sounds great, but what if you’re ready to jump, and there’s no cliff in sight? Then what?

I think that is where a lot of people find themselves. Heck, I was there for a bit too. You’re all fired up and ready for action, but nowhere to go. It’s like you want to make a big move but there is no Uber out front heading to a predetermined destination with a stack of cash in the trunk. Spoiler alert that never happens. If it does call me and we’ll grab some lottery tickets together, my treat!

Here’s the thing—when you hear people talk about “taking the leap,” it often comes with an assumption that you need a certain amount of money saved up. People talk about financial security like it’s the gatekeeper to success or something. And yeah, having some cushion helps, but sometimes it’s more about mindset than what’s in your bank account.

Do You Really Need Cash to Make the Leap?

Let’s be real: You do need some money to make things happen, especially if you’re trying to start a business or go all-in on an idea. You have to eat something until you can earn.

But that idea that you need a huge pile of cash just to take the first step? That’s the bullshit that keeps a lot of people on the ledge. We often trick ourselves into thinking that we need more and more, and the goalposts keep moving further and further.

Now don’t get me wrong there are some extremes where money should be a road block, but my bet is the real issue is that your plan isn’t developed enough.

You can finance just about any plan these days … if it’s solid enough.

You can buy established businesses with zero down, seller financing or SBA loans (lookup Search Funds). You can bring in partners who have capital or provide equity to employees to help get you off the ground even, but first you need to have a rock solid mindset and be able to sell it.

The Small Leaps Are Still Leaps

You don’t need to jump off a metaphorical cliff to make progress. If the idea of going all-in with loans or credit freaks you out (and trust me, I get it), then maybe it’s time to rethink what “leaping” really looks like.

A lot of times, the big dramatic leap is just a series of smaller steps that you stack up over time.

Take side hustles, for example. You can start small, build momentum, and then, when it’s time to scale, you have a much clearer picture of where the cliff is. Maybe you need more time to figure out your business model, or maybe you need to test the waters before committing to a full-on dive. That’s cool.

Just because you’re not taking a huge jump doesn’t mean you’re standing still.

Overcoming the Myth of the Overnight Leap

When you hear about people who seemingly leap and land on their feet, what you don’t see is the years of hard work, failed experiments, and small moves that led to that “big leap.”

You see the tip of the iceberg and not the monster underneath supporting it.

I used to think if I didn’t have the perfect opportunity or a big pile of cash, I couldn’t make my move. But the reality is, sometimes you just have to jump and figure it out on the way down.

I didn’t have it all planned when I started my first business, and there were times I was sure I was going to hit the rocks at the bottom. But it wasn’t going to kill me in my case and most likely, wont kill you either.

Every small step I took, every micro-leap, built the foundation for something bigger.

The Cost of Not Jumping

Let’s flip the script for a second.

What’s more expensive—taking a leap and possibly failing, or standing on the sidelines forever, never knowing what could have been?

Sure, failure costs something. But staying in your comfort zone will cost you as well and that price is often steeper than any financial hit.

The “what ifs” will eat away at you, and there’s no bailout for regret. Whether it’s time, money, or energy, betting on yourself is a gamble, but not taking the leap is like slowly watching your chances slip away. And you don’t get those back.

At the end of the day, waiting for the perfect cliff to jump from is a fool’s game. Sometimes you’ve got to build your own cliff and jump anyway, trusting that you’ll figure it out on the way down.

Will it be perfect? Hell no. But the leap isn’t about perfection—it’s about making the move when everything in you is screaming to stay safe. It’s about proving to yourself you can make big things happen.

So, if you’re standing there, wondering where the hell your cliff is, staaaap it. Trust yourself.

It worked for me!