How To Know You're Ready (For Anything)

I grew up loving pro wrestling. Yes, I was an avid WCW and WWE fan. I loved everything about it and if you asked enough questions you would discover some pretty embarrassing facts about me regarding this affinity. One of the things I recall about watching wrestling is Michael Buffer announcing before main event matches, “Are… YOU.. ready?” Then, after the cheers, he would say “for the thousands in attendance and the millions watching at home, ladies and gentlemen, lllllet’s get ready to  rumbllllllllllle.” 

Michael Buffer wasn’t always around but we’ve all been asked this question throughout our lives. “Are you ready?” 

People weren’t usually asking if I was ready to rumble. It was usually associated with a hockey game, an upcoming test, getting my license, asking a girl out on a date, being promoted, packing for a road trip, or even death. Recently, I heard this question over and over and over on my way to getting married.

“Are you ready?”

It often leaves us asking ourselves “Am I ready?”

I found myself asking this as I drew closer to my wedding. Beyond that, I began to ask “What does ‘ready’ even mean?” Here’s what I learned:

Being ready is either an impossibility, a lie, or really complicated. Maybe all of those. 

A lot of the time we’re asking whether or not we’ve prepared ourselves to a point of confidence. Have we put in the work we know we need to put in that gives us a reasonable assurance of success? Did I study for the test? Did I determine that I like this girl? Do I have all the things needed for this trip? If so, then I’m prepared, as well as I can be. I’m “ready.”

But here is the thing: No matter how prepared you are or how confident you become as a result of preparations, the future is always a mystery and you simply can’t have full assurance or even a reasonable confidence. Any confidence we have towards the unknown is an illusion. 

When I approached my wedding I approached it with the belief that the only people who truly understand marriage are dead people, the people who have a general idea about it are married, and all of us single people are blindly guessing. 

I had talked to lots of married friends and older couples. I read a dozen books about marriage, communication, and conflict. I sought counseling, had my friends give me feedback on my fiance, and did everything I could think of to prepare for my marriage. It didn’t matter how much I prepared, I still couldn’t know the future. On the day of my wedding, I stood in front of my loved ones, awaiting my bride to the words of Derek Webb as he sang, “I don’t promise ‘cause I know I’ll always love you. I make my vows to guarantee I will.” I chose that song because I knew I couldn’t know the future, but I could commit to it regardless. 

Commitment. Willingness. Ultimately, that’s what being ready is all about. Readiness is actually willingness. Through this lens readiness becomes real and possible.

We can prepare for anything until we feel confident but if that confidence isn’t paired with a willingness to commit ourselves to engaging the mystery of the future then it’s all for not. Willingness, more than anything, is what makes us qualified to pursue the unknown future. So if you’re willing then you’re ready. 

Prepare for the unknown as much you can, be confident if possible, but most of all embrace willingness. In the end, no one is prepared for the unknown because no one knows the unknown but we can be ready for it if we are willing to engage it. 

So the next time someone like Michael Buffer asks “Are you ready?” Respond by saying, “I’m willing!”