The Timing’s Off, But You’re Not: What Glen Powell’s Speech Taught Me About Showing Up
- May 20
- 4 min read
Updated: May 24
Some stories start with fireworks.
Mine usually starts with… buffering.
You know that feeling — like you're meant to be somewhere, building something, doing more — but somehow, life hasn’t caught up to your momentum. Or maybe you’re the one lagging. Either way, the timeline doesn’t match the dream yet.
A few weeks ago, I came across a speech by actor Glen Powell, delivered at the Moody College of Communication. I didn’t expect it to land as hard as it did. It wasn’t full of over-polished lines or self-congratulatory moments — it was raw, honest, and real.
And in that moment, I realized something I hadn’t quite been able to admit to myself:
“Just because it’s not happening now doesn’t mean it’s not happening.”
That one line held weight. It gave shape to a quiet frustration I’d been holding onto — the kind that builds when your outer progress doesn’t match your inner desire.
The Invisible Weight of Building Quietly
There’s a project I’ve been working on — let’s just say it’s something that once had me waking up with purpose. I’d sketch ideas into notebooks, map wireframes in my head while brushing my teeth, and whisper features to myself in traffic like they were secrets waiting to be told.
But the deeper I got, the messier it became.
Bugs. Rewrites. Systems that didn’t play nice. Moments of near breakthroughs followed by dead ends.
At first, I pushed through. I told myself it’s normal — creative processes aren’t linear. But after a while, it wasn’t just the code that started crashing.
It was my rhythm. My excitement. My belief that I was “on time.”
So I paused. Not permanently. Just long enough to breathe and remind myself why I started.
But even that pause came with guilt — like I was stepping out of sync with where I should be.
And that’s why Glen’s words didn’t just resonate — they gave me permission.
Permission to pause.
Permission to be present in progress.
Permission to believe that something delayed is not something denied.
Behind Every Highlight Reel Is a Long, Quiet Draft
It’s easy to look at someone like Glen Powell — confident, charming, standing in front of hundreds — and think: he had it figured out. But in his speech, he admitted to moments of complete uncertainty. Of jobs that didn’t pan out. Of years that felt like wandering.
He talked about “the waiting” — that stretch of time between who you are and who you’re trying to become.
He talked about how not knowing is just as valid as succeeding.
And for a generation constantly caught in the noise of comparison — it felt revolutionary.
Because most people only share the success.
The launch.
The likes.
The polished product.
But not many talk about the half-finished projects gathering dust.
The pitches that didn’t land.
The mornings when even opening the laptop feels like too much.
This blog — this little corner of mine — is where I do talk about that.
Redefining “Right on Time”
We’re sold the idea of timelines like they’re checklists:
By 20: Find your calling.
By 25: Master your craft.
By 30: Build your empire.
But what if your story doesn’t unfold like that?
What if the empire takes longer, or the calling finds you while you’re stumbling through Plan C?
If you're anything like me, you probably feel the itch to “arrive.”
But Glen reminded me that arrival isn’t a destination — it’s a mindset.
Showing up, even when things feel uncertain, is the work.
Pausing, reflecting, recalibrating — that counts, too.
Not everything meaningful makes a noise right away.
Sometimes, the best things build in silence.
From Pause to Purpose
The project I paused. I still think about it daily.
And when the time is right, I’ll return to it — better, clearer, and less tangled in the pressure of needing it to be perfect.
Because the pause wasn’t a failure.
It was the beginning of becoming the kind of person who finishes with purpose.
So, if you're reading this while sitting in a moment of “not yet,” let me say it clearly:
You are not behind.
You are not late.
You are becoming — and that’s enough for today.
If You’re Still Reading, This Is for You
I know this piece may have stirred something — a memory, a moment, maybe even a mirror.
So, before we wrap up, I’d love to hear from you.
Not just as a reader, but as someone navigating their own version of “not yet.”
Just a few gentle questions — no right answers, just reflection.
Take a moment if you’d like:
Have you ever paused a project you deeply cared about?
Yes, and I’m still figuring it out.
Yes, but I came back stronger.
Not yet, but I expect I might.
Nope — I usually push through.
Do you believe “perfect timing” really exists?
Nope, we create our own timing.
Sometimes — but I don’t rely on it.
Yes, everything happens for a reason.
Still figuring that one out.
What do you need most in your current season?
Patience
Momentum
Encouragement
Clarity
✨ Stay With The Story
Thanks for reading — and for being part of this space.
Whether you’re deep in flow or figuring it out one line at a time, you’re not alone in the mess or the magic.
Because “The Timing’s Off, But You’re Not” — and that’s not a flaw in your journey. It is the journey.
There’s more coming soon — including a piece inspired by childhood nostalgia and another blog about rebuilding what matters.
Till then, keep building, keep learning, and take a moment to breathe in your own progress — even if it’s quiet.
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