Never "Finished"

At 95, Grandma still hops on the bike each afternoon to get a little stronger. She’s never finished either.

My grandma once said, "NYC sure will be nice if they ever get it finished." She’s pretty clever.

As I approach my 50th (!!) birthday in just ten days, I’m looking both backward and forward, taking inventory of the journey so far while imagining what comes next. There's something both terrifying and liberating about recognizing that we're all perpetually under construction.

The streets of New York have been torn up and rebuilt countless times since my grandmother uttered those words. The subway expands, buildings rise and fall, and neighborhoods transform. The city refuses to declare itself "done"—and thank goodness for that. Its constant state of becoming is precisely what makes it vibrant and alive.

What if we viewed ourselves the same way? What if we stopped waiting to be "finished" before we allowed ourselves to shine?

This week on The Uplifters Podcast, you’ll meet Cat McKenzie, Executive Producer at Good Morning America, who shared a powerful quote from tennis star Madison Keys that left us both kinda shook (as my awkward-averse teens say): "I had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. But not only that, I had to get comfortable with doing my best work when I feel uncomfortable."

Isn't that the whole journey? Learning to create, connect, and contribute while still being uncomfortably unfinished?

I think about the women I've coached over the past 20 years who waited for perfection before launching their projects. The ones who believed they needed complete certainty before making a career change. The ones who thought they should have all the answers before stepping into leadership.

But the magic happens in the scaffolding. The growth comes from embracing the detours.

As I approach this milestone birthday, I'm reflecting on all the experiences—good and challenging—that have made me who I am today. But I'm also celebrating how they don't limit who I can become tomorrow. Just like my grandmother's New York, I'll never be "finished"—and that's precisely the point.

What if we played with this idea together?

• Where in your life are you waiting to be "finished" before allowing yourself to begin?

• What could change if you embraced being perpetually under construction?

• What's one area where you might practice doing your best work while feeling uncomfortable?

Let's build our courage capital together by celebrating our beautiful, unfinished selves.

Join us at Uplifters Live this month where we'll be exploring practical strategies for embracing imperfection while still moving toward our most meaningful goals. Click here to preview some of the amazing women you’ll meet! Tickets are going quickly, and I'd love to see you there!

Your fellow work-in-progress,

Aransas

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