Tina Johnson
CEO & Founder, The CEO Woman
It started with a sticky note.
I had just finished a powerful webinar—one of those sessions that leaves you scribbling ideas in the margins of your planner. I was energized, focused… ready. I grabbed a sticky note, wrote down my favorite takeaway, and slapped it on the edge of my desk.
That sticky note stayed there for five months.
Every time I looked at it, I’d remember the fire I felt in that moment—followed quickly by the mental checklist of why now wasn’t the time. Too much going on. Not enough clarity. I needed to “get through this season first.”
Sound familiar?
This is what happens to so many women CEOs. We’re not lacking ambition or insight—we’re overloaded with it. We gather tools, highlight books, bookmark posts… and then keep pushing implementation to “later.” But here’s the truth I’ve learned the hard way:
Growth doesn’t come from what you save. It comes from what you apply.
Learning for Later vs. Learning for Now
We’ve all done it—listened to a podcast while driving, downloaded that free eBook with every intention of reading it later, signed up for a webinar and half-watched while answering emails. The learning felt productive, right? Like you were checking something off a list just by showing up.
But passive consumption doesn’t build businesses. Application does.
That’s the difference between learning for later and learning for now.
- Learning for Later is passive. It feels good in the moment but tends to live in notebooks, saved folders, or your mental backlog of “someday.”
- It sounds like:
“I’ll revisit this when things slow down.”
“I need to get through my client work first.”
“This was SO good—I’ll definitely use it eventually.”
- It sounds like:
- Learning for Now is active. It asks:
- What can I apply in the next 7 days?
- Where can I test this inside my business right now—even in a small way?
This subtle shift in how we treat new information is one of the most powerful mindset pivots a CEO can make. It moves you from inspired to in motion—and that’s where growth happens.
Why We Default to “Later”
Most of us aren’t avoiding implementation on purpose. We’re overwhelmed. Decision fatigue, competing priorities, or the fear of “doing it wrong” keeps us collecting knowledge instead of using it.
But when you stop and choose just one idea to act on, you start building implementation energy. That’s the kind of energy that creates momentum—quickly. It’s how progress compounds.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
The longer you stay in inspiration-only mode, the easier it is to feel like you’re making progress—without actually moving forward. It’s a kind of quiet burnout. You’re busy, you’re learning, but you’re still stuck.
When you start implementing, even in small ways, things begin to shift. Your confidence builds. Your decisions get clearer. You move from swirling in ideas to creating outcomes you can actually measure.
Want Support with the “How”?
That’s why everything we create at The CEO Woman—from our Business School to FAB5 Consulting to the Women’s CEO Summit—is rooted in action, not theory. We’re not here to give you more things to think about. We’re here to walk alongside you as you do the work that actually changes your business.
If you’ve been sitting on ideas that deserve more than a sticky note, this is your invitation to take the next step.
You don’t need more content. You need a container that helps you move forward—with support, structure, and clarity.
Reflection for You:
Before you close this tab, ask yourself:
📌 What’s one thing I’ve saved, scribbled down, or highlighted lately that I haven’t acted on yet?
📌 What would it look like to take one small action on that idea this week?
And if you’re craving space to think, plan, and implement with intention, there’s still time to join us at the Women’s CEO Summit. It’s not just an event—it’s the room that turns learning into leadership.
