When Your Heart Says Yes, But Your Mind Says No, you know that feeling, right?
Your heart gets excited about something. Maybe it’s a business idea, a career change, or finally launching that side hustle. You feel that spark of possibility.
Then your mind steps in.
“Don’t do it. You’ll fail. People will laugh at you. You don’t have enough experience.”
And just like that, the excitement fades.
This internal tug-of-war happens to everyone. But here’s what I’ve learned: the difference between people who succeed and people who stay stuck is whether they can get their heart and mind working together.
Think of it like rowing a boat. If one oar (your heart) pulls forward while the other (your mind) pulls backward, you just spin in circles. You work hard but go nowhere.
When both oars move in sync, you glide forward. That’s what happens when your heart wants something and your logical mind figures out the steps. Together, they create unstoppable momentum.
For me, it took two full years to learn how to row.
My Two Lost Years
Back in 2009, I was working two jobs—one at a bookstore, another at a printing shop. During those long shifts, I started dreaming. What if I opened my own bookstore? I could curate the books I believed in. Create a space where readers feel at home.
The dream felt real. It kept me going. But I didn’t act on it.
In 2010, I finally worked up the courage to share my idea with two coworkers over coffee. I laid out my vision, my excitement bubbling over.
They shot it down.
“It’s too risky. The market is tough. You’re too young to handle this.”
And you know what I did? I agreed with them. I let their fear become my fear. I buried the dream and kept showing up to jobs I didn’t love.
It wasn’t until 2012 that my co-founder and I finally opened our first bookstore.
Two full years wasted. Why?
Looking back, I was held hostage by three specific fears. These weren’t abstract enemies; they were the exact stories I told myself every day for 730 days.
Fear 1: The “I’m Not Ready” Lie (Fear of Inexperience)
My coworkers said I was “too young,” and I believed them. I told myself, “I don’t have enough experience to run a whole business. I’ve only ever been an employee.”
This lie is the most common dream-killer. We wait for a “perfect” moment when we’ll finally feel “ready.” We look for one more course to take, one more book to read, one more year of experience.
The truth: I had already worked in a bookstore and a print shop for a decade. I knew the industry from the inside out. I wasn’t unqualified; I was just scared. “Ready” isn’t a feeling you wait for; it’s a decision you make.
Fear 2: The “What If No One Comes?” Lie (Fear of Failure)
This fear haunted me. I had a vivid nightmare of standing in my brand-new, beautiful bookstore… completely alone. An empty shop. No customers. Just boxes of books I couldn’t sell.
This “fear of the empty room” is paralyzing. It’s the fear of putting your heart into something and being met with silence.
The truth: This is just a story. It’s not a prediction. The only way to guarantee an empty shop is to never open the door. I realized that failure wasn’t a monster; it was just a set of problems to be solved (like marketing or community-building). I couldn’t solve those problems by standing still.
Fear 3: The “What Will They Think?” Lie (Fear of Judgment)
This was the deepest fear. It wasn’t just my coworkers; I was terrified of what my friends and family would say. What if I failed and had to go back to my old job, tail between my legs? What if they said, “I told you so”?
I was more afraid of looking like a failure than I was of actually failing.
The truth: I was letting other people’s opinions have a veto over my life. The moment I realized this, everything changed. I had to decide whose voice was louder: the imaginary doubts of others, or my own dream.
What Changed Wasn’t the World, It Was Me
When we finally opened our bookstore in 2012, nothing external had changed.
The market was still competitive. I wasn’t suddenly more experienced. I didn’t have more money or connections.
What changed was internal.
I stopped letting my fears write the stories. I stopped waiting for the perfect moment. I stopped letting other people’s doubts become my own.
We just started.
If you’ve been sitting on an idea, ask yourself honestly: What’s really stopping you?
Is it a real obstacle? Or is it one of these three fears, disguised as logic?
Those two years I lost? I can never get them back. But you still have your time. Your opportunity. Your chance.
Don’t let your mind row backward while your heart rows forward. Get them working together.
And then? Just start.
The world doesn’t need perfect entrepreneurs. It needs people brave enough to begin.
That could be you. Now go prove it.
