Just Start Even if You Have NO Idea What You’re Doing

This post is dedicated to all of the people who are learning about AI tools and feeling overwhelmed.

The takeaway I want to leave you with is: Start, even if you don’t know what the heck you’re doing yet. That doesn’t matter. Just START.

A few years ago, with no background except my professional experience, I built a national internship for sixty college students exploring artificial intelligence, quantum science, synthetic biology, and technical security. I paired students from small universities and community colleges with peers from top research universities, and assigned them project mentors I trusted from different departments in the US government. We had no idea how this experiment would turn out. The goal was simple: prove that brilliance can come from anywhere. I had doubts and major imposter syndrome!

What happened next surprised me. My most successful interns had determination, not perfect grades. It wasn’t skill that pushed them to the top. It was courage. They didn’t wait to feel ready. They just started. They learned fast and collaborated with others who had the skills they lacked.

Technology doesn’t replace people. It reveals them. It amplifies imagination, courage, and intent.

If you want to build something extraordinary, stop waiting. Begin now. Build the thing that scares you. Learn as you go. Perfection and “I’ll do it when….” is a trap.

Next steps:

Pick one free AI or tech resource and explore it for fifteen minutes today.

Ask one better question. Curiosity opens more doors than credentials.

Build something small — a prompt, a workflow, a prototype — anything.

Share what you learned. Teaching reinforces confidence.

Repeat tomorrow. Momentum matters more than mastery.

Start small. Begin anyway.

THE ONLY THING MORE COSTLY THAN FAILURE IS NEVER STARTING AT ALL.

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