My teenagers love trivia.

In fact, we’ve played so many trivia games lately that we've burned through every single card deck we own. 

So last weekend my kids came up with a new twist: we each had to make up our own trivia questions and take turns stumping each other.

Sounds simple, right?

Except I completely froze.

I think my brain is packed with so much random knowledge across such a weird variety of topics that I had no idea what would make a good question. Everything that came to mind felt either way too obscure or wildly specific to my own interests. 

After seeing the panicked look on my face, my husband Chuck finally laughed and said, "You really have no idea what's a hard question and what's not, do you?"

And honestly? I didn't. 

It's all just in there, and I couldn't tell what would make sense to anyone else.

As silly as that moment was, it stuck with me—because it mirrored exactly how I felt going into the big AI Engine systems training I hosted last Wednesday.

I was so nervous.

Not only was I planning to teach on a topic I’ve never talked about before, this was the first big training I've done since shifting away from catering towards beginner business owners through Elite Blog Academy and toward helping more advanced entrepreneurs scale.

In many ways, it’s a whole new audience, and I honestly had no clue whether what I was about to teach would feel too basic, too technical, or just totally irrelevant.

I've spent the past year building out deeply personalized AI-powered systems in my own business, and while I think what I've created is powerful, I had zero ability to gauge how others would perceive it.

Would they get it? Would it feel useful? Would it be worth their time?

I've hosted a lot of live workshops over the past 15 years, but this one felt different. Higher stakes. Less scripted. More vulnerable. 

I wasn't hiding behind a polished slide deck, which normally makes me feel ultra-prepared. But for this training, I wanted to actually share my screen and walk people through everything in real time, showing exactly what I've built and how it works.

There was so much that could go wrong.

But I did it anyway.

And as it turns out, we did have a major tech glitch, right out the gate.

While my Powerhouse students were joining me on Zoom, everyone else was supposed to be watching the livestream via Facebook Live. 

Except the livestream, which we had tested extensively the day before, didn’t work.

Thankfully, after a brief moment of panic (by me) and some quick thinking (by my team) behind the scenes, we managed to get everyone on Zoom.

It turned out to be one of the best live trainings I've ever done. 

The feedback we got, both during the training and afterwards was insane. People actually took the time to write emails sharing how much they learned, which doesn’t happen very often.

And at the end of the training, as I was giving my Powerhouse students a peek of what they’ll be getting access to in Powerhouse 2.0, I literally had people begging me to take their money so they can get access too.

That definitely doesn’t happen very often.

Suffice to say, everyone was blown away. Not just by the content, but by the clarity and simplicity of the systems. It was exactly what they needed.

But the whole experience served as a powerful reminder of something I know, but often forget:

We don't get clarity first. We get courage first. The clarity follows.

Sometimes we're so caught up in trying to perfectly gauge the response—trying to preempt every reaction, doubt, or need—that we never actually put ourselves out there. We get stuck in our heads, worried about how it will land.

But you don't need to know the outcome before you begin. 

You just need to trust that what's inside you is worth sharing.

The truth is, stepping into this new direction with Ruth Soukup Business has been exciting, but also scary. Changing the brand, raising the bar, going deeper—it all comes with pressure. But this week reminded me that our best work comes when we show up fully, even when we're unsure.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Along those same lines, Dale Carnegie noted that "action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

In other words? Action is the antidote to fear.

And so my challenge for you this week is to ask yourself this: What's the thing you've been holding back on because you're not sure how it will land?

Is it a conversation you've been avoiding? A pitch you're scared to send? A dream you've been talking yourself out of? A project you keep putting off because you're not sure if it’s worth the effort?

Whatever it is—do it anyway. Take action.

Even when you can't see the whole staircase, take the first step.

You might just be amazed at what happens next.

Live with purpose, friend, and have a joy-filled week!

xoxo, Ruth

P.S. In other news, I'm currently planning a trip to Europe later this summer, and I would LOVE your suggestions and tips for what we should see. We’ll be starting in Florence, Italy (where my niece is getting married) and then my sister and I are taking off for a little 2-week sister adventure to Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Holland. Got any tips, favorite places, must-sees, must-eats, or hidden gems? Hit reply and let me know!

P.P.S. Tomorrow I’m launching my new podcast for online business owners, Million Dollar Year! If you’re not an online business owner, it might not be your thing, but if you are, definitely be sure to check it out (then subscribe!) You can find it on Apple Podcasts HERE and Spotify HERE.

This week’s podcast episode…

What’s cooking in my kitchen…

The latest from my Instagram…

Instagram is my jam! If you’re there too, I’d love to connect with you—find me at @RuthSoukup or @ruthsoukupbiz for online business tips!

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