How to Move Forward When You Donโt Have a Perfect Plan
Nov 11, 2025A while ago, someone asked me how I found the courage to put myself out there and start building a business around helping therapists scale their impact.
My honest answer? I didn’t have a perfect plan. I had a flashlight.
One step. Then another.
Sometimes picking myself back up after tripping.
That’s why this conversation with Christi Engle hit home. If you’re someone who wants to teach, coach, or guide others but you feel stuck because you don’t have the full picture yet—this is for you.
Because most of us never get a mission card handed to us after school or a roadmap once the "life boxes" are checked.
We just get a nudge.
The Trap of Waiting for the Full Plan
Christi shared how she started her career, took a break to raise her kids, and found herself pulled toward helping people again—but not through a traditional route. Her path didn’t look like a neat timeline. It looked like the rest of ours: foggy, fragmented, full of questions.
She considered going back to school for clinical licensure but instead leaned into coaching, starting with the Enneagram and eventually building her own practice.
She said it best: "I couldn’t name the end, but I could take the next step."
That image—a flashlight showing just one step forward—is a reminder that we don’t need a 10-year plan to move. We need the courage to walk one faithful step at a time.
Redefining Success: Prepared, Present, Authentic
Christi also shared something I now use myself: a better metric for success.
After each coaching call, presentation, or podcast appearance, she used to spiral in overthinking:
- Did I say the right thing?
- Did I miss something?
- Should I have said it better?
You might know that spin well.
To stop the spiral, she changed her metric. Success wasn’t about perfection. It was about:
- Was I prepared?
- Was I present?
- Was I authentic?
That’s it. If the answer is yes to those three, then she calls it a win.
I love this. Because as someone who works with helpers, I know how often we beat ourselves up for what we didn’t say, didn’t do, or didn’t know yet. This shift helps you show up grounded and let go of the pressure to perform.
And honestly? That’s a better way to build a course, a business, or a life.
What Stories Are You Still Living Under?
There was another layer in Christi’s journey that might sound familiar: outdated stories.
- "If I show up with confidence, I’m being prideful."
- "I need someone else’s approval before I trust my ideas."
- "If I’m not licensed, I can’t help people."
These aren’t just thoughts. They’re beliefs we inherited, usually early on. Christi talks about how these stories ran on autopilot until she named them.
And once she did, she could challenge them:
- Is this true?
- Is this helping me?
- Who would I be without this belief?
Those questions come from Byron Katie’s work, and they’re powerful tools when you feel like something’s holding you back, but you can’t quite name what.
Living With Intention Instead of Autopilot
This episode wasn't just about mindset. Christi offered practical ways to re-center and reconnect to your calling:
- Breathwork: Even just two minutes can reset your nervous system.
- Naming what matters: Knowing your values keeps you from chasing shiny distractions.
- Taking care of the basics: Food, water, rest, sunlight—without these, deeper growth doesn’t stick.
These practices may seem small, but they form the backbone of a life lived on purpose. You don’t have to wait for burnout to start tending to these things.
You Don’t Need to Be Licensed to Help People
One of the biggest fears I hear from faith-informed helpers is this: "I’m not licensed, so I’m not qualified."
Christi is proof that this isn't true.
She built her practice around what she knew: Enneagram work, personal growth, and coaching. She didn’t fake it. She didn’t rush it. She simply served where she was with what she had.
You can too. The tools you already have may be exactly what someone else is praying for.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Behind. You’re Building.
If this conversation taught us anything, it’s that the journey doesn’t have to be perfect to be purposeful.
You might not have a full map.
You might still be sorting through old stories.
You might be in the middle of the messy part.
But you’re not behind.
You’re building.
Keep showing up prepared, present, and authentic.
Your course. Your story. Your practice.
They don’t have to be flawless.
They just have to be faithful.
Looking for your next step? Start by writing down what you already know, what lights you up, and what problems you love helping people solve. That flashlight is enough to get moving.
If this speaks to you, I’d love for you to join us on the podcast or connect through the Course Creation Starter Kit or set up a conversation where I can help you plan your next 90-days.
Resources and Links
- Christi Engle’s website: https://perennialcoaching.com
- $27 Boundaries Blueprint
- Perennial Growth Path coaching program
- The Work by Byron Katie → https://thework.com
- Christi Engle on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristiEnglePCS
- Course Creation Starter Kit
- Set up a conversation where I can help you plan your next 90-days.
Bonus - Quick Tips:
-
Start small.
You don’t need a full business plan to begin. Just take the next right step. That’s enough. -
Redefine success.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being prepared, present, and honest. -
Stop waiting for clarity.
Clarity often comes after the step, not before. Movement reveals what matters. -
Name the story.
If your brain is looping the same doubts, write them down. Then ask: is this even true? -
Messy is part of the map.
Don’t wait for the mess to be over before you start. Most impact is built in the middle. -
Get out of your own head.
Talk it out. Write it down. Take a walk. You’re not stuck—you’re just swirling. -
Your path can look different.
Coaching, teaching, creating—these are valid ways to help. You don’t need a license to offer value. -
Tend the basics.
Drink water. Breathe deep. Step outside. Most burnout starts when we forget the simple things. -
Trust your preparation.
You’ve learned. You’ve lived. You don’t need another certification to start serving. -
You’re not too late.
You’re just in the part of the story where the map isn’t clear yet. Keep going.
15 Ways To Create Income Flow from What You Already Know
Subscription give you weekly updates on blogs, podcasts, webinars, and offers from CCS and their partners. We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
