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5 years ago our first Leadership Post was published. Some tens of thousands of readers later, and in the course of our writer-reader-leader partnership, I’m convinced of this fact: I believe we all have an instinct for greatness. There is a pulse within us that beats steadily in our favor, an inclination that we can do more, be more, say more, express more, lead more.

Of course, it’s risky trusting that instinct. Because, if we are wrong, then we expose ourselves to those critics who have one thing to prove: You’re not good enough.

So that compels some to wait, to not trust. Consequently, they use today like they did yesterday: Collecting the evidence that it’s best to delay, to allow others to act, to comply, to acquiesce.

This can be fatal: By waiting, they ensure that the evidence they’re not good enough will appear. This, not so ironically, proves them correct once again. It’s always best not to give the full effort. It’s always best to hold back a little bit.

The only way to know if we’re going to realize our potential is to go all in early, rather than subscribing to the belief that there will ever be a later worthy of our full effort. If we wait for someone else to prove the vision can become a reality, if we wait for someone else to go first, to do more, be more, say more, express more, lead more…we only guarantee that we will have done less than we ultimately could.

We need you.

Today. Now. Trust this instinct.

And let’s go discover the brilliance waiting for us in the next 5 years.