Level Up: Stop Hesitating and Start Moving
"Level up, level up, level up, level up, level up." – Ciara
She didn’t say it once. She didn’t say it twice. She said it ten times.
Why? Because she knows we need to hear it again and again until it finally drowns out the fear, the excuses, and that little voice in the back of our heads whispering, “But what if I fail?”
It’s like a mama repeating herself until her child finally gets it.
It’s like an old-school teacher making you write a word ten times just to make sure it sticks.
It’s like your best friend hyping you up, saying, “Go do the thing. No, for real—DO IT.”
That’s the energy. That’s the urgency.
Because let’s be honest: Most of us don’t fail because we’re incapable.
We fail because we stop too soon.
We hesitate.
We wait for the fear to go away instead of moving through it.
But resilience? Resilience is stepping up again and again and again—until leveling up isn’t just something you say, it’s something you do.
💡 Related Read: Redefining Success: Why It Means Freedom for Me
Become through repetition
Repetition is the Secret Sauce
Let’s talk real for a second.
Nobody magically wakes up and becomes great at something overnight.
You don’t build confidence by wishing for it.
You don’t become unstoppable by thinking about it.
You get there by doing the thing—again and again—until it stops feeling scary and starts feeling natural.
You don’t just write a book—you write a paragraph, a page, a chapter… until one day, you realize you’re an author.
You don’t just become successful—you show up, you mess up, you learn, you get better, and suddenly, people are calling you an expert.
You don’t just wake up confident—you train your mind like you train a muscle.
The difference between where you are now and where you want to be?
Repetition.
💡 External Read: Why Repetition is the Key to Mastery
Leap of Faith
How to Actually Level Up (For Real This Time)
1. Stop Waiting for Fear to Leave. Move Anyway.
Fear isn’t going anywhere. But guess what? Neither are you if you keep waiting for it to disappear.
Fear doesn’t vanish before you take action—it vanishes because you take action.
So take the first step. Even if it’s messy. Even if you’re unsure. Even if you have to fake confidence until you build the real thing.
Want to launch a business? Start.
Want to get in shape? Start.
Want to write a book? Start.
Messy action is still action.
💡 Related Read: Why Black Women Must Redefine Success on Their Own Terms
💡 External Read: Harvard Business Review: Overcoming Fear of Failure
Write it until it’s real
2. Repeat What You Want to Believe Until It’s True.
Listen, your brain is like a sponge. It soaks up whatever you feed it.
So if you’ve been feeding it self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and hesitation? That’s what it’s running on.
But if you start repeating the right things? Everything shifts.
Say “I’m capable.”
Say “I’m worthy.”
Say “I am absolutely that person.”
Every morning. Every night. Every time self-doubt tries to creep in.
Because the more you say it, the more you believe it.
And the more you believe it? The more you show up like it’s already yours.
💡 External Read: The Science Behind Affirmations
Busting through the discomfort to get comfortable
3. Get Uncomfortable on Purpose.
Growth doesn’t happen in the safe zone.
If everything you’re doing feels easy, you’re probably not leveling up—you’re just looping through the same cycle.
So challenge yourself:
Say yes to something that scares you.
Walk into rooms where you feel like the smallest person.
Ask for opportunities that you’re "not ready" for.
Discomfort is proof that you’re pushing forward.
💡 Related Read: The High Cost of Leadership & Mental Health
💡 External Read: Why Growth Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone
Level Up in Words and Action
Final Thought: Say It, Then Do It.
Ciara didn’t just say, “Level up” once—she said it ten times because she knew we’d need to hear it over and over before we actually moved.
So here it is again, just in case you didn’t catch it:
Level up. Level up. Level up.
Now go do the thing.
And don’t stop until it’s yours.
📌 What’s one area of your life where you’re ready to level up this week? Drop it in the comments. Let’s make the shift together.
#LevelUp #NextLevelEnergy #StopWaitingStartMoving #FaithInAction #WithoutApology
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Dr. Sagashus Levingston is an author, entrepreneur and PhD holder. She has two fur babies, Maya and Gracie, six children (three boys and three girls), and they all (including her partner) live in Madison, WI. She loves all things business, is committed to reminding moms of their power, and is dedicated to playing her part in closing the wealth gap for people of color and women. She believes that mothering is a practice, like yoga, and she fights daily to manage her chocolate intake. The struggle is real, y’all…and sometimes it’s beautiful.
Follow her on Instagram: @infamous.mothers