to go all the way?

some say the important thing is to take action now and then redirect your aims accordingly
others say plan it out and make sure you are totally ready to go 'all the way' before you start
Personally I am halfway between the two. I have set goals til they are coming out of my ears and have tonnes of ideas (perhaps too many!), i have taken the first few steps now find that i dont have enough self belief or a high enough self esteem to really push on. So I am working on that aspect via workshops and books so my journy can continue.
However am I just making an excuse because i dont want to carry on my journey or is this a neccesary service stop?
Has anyone else found themsleves in this position?
perhaps if I had ensured my self esteem was ready before i set off it may have been better or perhaps im just using it as an excuse to not step into the unknown!!