Just Take the First Step

Last evening, my friend Aakash dropped by, and as always, our conversation drifted into unexpected, thoughtful directions. We started talking about business, and the uncertainty that comes with it—questions like: How do you know what to do next? How far should you plan? What if you’re wrong? How do you know it will work?

These are doubts that plague most of us. We feel like we need to be sure, to know everything before we begin. And yet, Aakash—who has built multiple successful ventures—shared something that really stuck with me.

He told me the story of Vasudev and Krishna.

Vasudev was in a locked prison cell, guarded heavily, during a raging storm. His newborn son, Krishna, was destined for something far greater, but his life was in danger. Suddenly, Vasudev hears a divine voice telling him to pick up the child, place him in a basket, and take him across the Yamuna river to safety.

Naturally, Vasudev is overwhelmed. How can I even leave this cell? How will I get past the guards? And how am I supposed to cross a flooded river with a baby in a basket?

The voice simply says: Have faith. Take the first step.

And so he does. He picks up the basket. With his first step, the prison doors unlock. With the next, the guards fall into deep sleep. As he keeps moving forward, trusting the path, the river itself parts and makes way. One step at a time, with unwavering faith, the impossible becomes possible.

Aakash’s point was simple but profound: in life—and in business—we’re often waiting for the full plan, for certainty, for all the answers. But sometimes, none of that comes until you start. You won’t always see the full path before you begin. But if you believe, and act, the next step reveals itself. Then the next. And the next.

Faith is not about knowing the outcome. It’s about moving forward despite not knowing it.

Don’t get stuck waiting for the perfect moment. Take the first step.