One Step Off… Or Right on Time?

You ever feel like you’re just one step off from being exactly where you need to be?

For me—absolutely. More than once…

When I was invited to join the Intuit Partner Council in 2023, I said it felt like it came a year early in our firm’s growth cycle—so we leaned in, juggled the demands, and navigated the opportunity with the same focus we bring to our clients’ biggest moments.

Our firm is what I like to call a preteen. We’ve outgrown the early “learning to walk” years but we’re not yet fully grown. We’re continually evaluating our processes, locking down our tech stack, and smoothing out automations—all while stepping into bigger stages and being invited to present on the very topics we’re still actively perfecting.

It’s a strange but energizing tension: building and polishing while talking about the build and the polish.

Staying Ahead (But Not Too Far)

I once heard someone say that to be an instructor, you only have to stay far enough ahead of your class to answer the questions.

That’s never been my style.

I’ve always wanted to take the class, practice it more than once, and be able to do the full dance before I tell anyone I can do it. For me, confidence doesn’t just come from knowing the steps—it comes from having lived them.

That’s why, when an opportunity comes earlier than expected, I feel the pull of two mindsets: the readiness mindset that says “you’ve got this” and the cautious perfectionist who whispers “not yet.”

Sliding Through Life, Timing, and the “Show Up” Rule

Life rarely hands you opportunities exactly when your internal calendar says you’re ready. More often, they arrive when they’re ready—and your job is to meet them there.

Sometimes that means sliding into the moment feeling one step behind and two steps sideways. That’s where timing and imposter syndrome meet… but also where growth happens.

And here’s the truth:
You don’t have to master everything before you take the stage or step into the role.

But—
If all you can do is talk the talk, you’re not a benefit to anyone.
Our world is full of conversations, opinions, and commentary. What moves the needle is the ability to walk the walk—to speak from experience, to deliver on what you say, to lead from having done the work.

At our firm, that’s the standard we set for ourselves and the one we encourage others to live by. We expect more than just showing up. We expect—and promote—the showing up with substance.

The Real Step Forward

So maybe being “one step off” isn’t off at all. Maybe it’s the step that pushes you forward, ready or not.

Because in business and in life, you don’t always get to choose the timing. But you do get to choose how you meet the moment—half-prepared and bluffing, or prepared enough to show up and grow into the rest.

And when you show up with integrity, skill, and the willingness to learn, you might just find that step was exactly the one you needed all along.

Best ~ Sheri