By Janet Dailey
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
“Someday is not a day of the week.” This memorable line serves as an invitation to rethink how we approach our goals and choices.This article explores the direct power and relevance of Janet Dailey’s wisdom. Whether you’re feeling stuck, dreaming big, or just wanting a boost to accomplish your next step, this quote reminds us that change doesn’t wait. Let’s unpack why these words feel so urgent, and how they can spark real movement starting today.
What Does This Quote Mean?
At first glance, Janet Dailey’s quote about action uses the simple structure of a calendar to highlight an uncomfortable truth. While our week is made up of days like Monday, Thursday, and Sunday, “Someday” is not listed among them. It is a word we often use when putting off responsibilities and dreams—promises like “I’ll start exercising someday” or “Someday I’ll call my friend.” In reality, “someday” refers to no actual, scheduled time, making it a placeholder that signals delay, avoidance, or uncertain commitment.
Digging deeper, the quote is a gentle but clear nudge to recognize how easy it is to fall into the pattern of procrastination. We come to rely on vague intentions, convincing ourselves that we genuinely will act—but under what circumstances or when exactly, we’re never sure. Janet Dailey’s words pull us out of that comfortable haze, exposing how “someday” does not truly exist on any calendar.
By saying that “someday is not a day of the week,” Dailey is encouraging honesty with ourselves. It reminds us that if we want something or need to address something important, we have to assign it an actual day, time, or deadline. Otherwise, it will drift forever on the list of “maybes,” never getting done. This quote about action urges us to face the discomfort of starting, transitioning goals and resolutions from the imagined future to the present. In practice, it challenges us to treat our plans with the same reality as the days that are actually available to us.
How Can You Use This Quote in Life?
1. Stop Delaying Big Decisions
If you often find yourself saying you’ll look for a new job, move to a new place, or tackle a meaningful project “someday,” Janet Dailey’s quote about action invites you to get specific. Commit to an actual day and put it on your calendar. By choosing a real date, you transform intention into the beginning of a plan.
2. Take Small, Consistent Steps
Many tasks feel overwhelming because they stay undefined and postponed. Rather than vaguely planning to start a new habit, set a clear action and a day—like “On Wednesday, I’ll go for my first walk.” The shift from “someday” to an exact day, no matter how small the first step, shows your brain and your calendar that you mean business.
3. Confront Difficult Conversations
We often avoid conversations that make us anxious, promising ourselves that we’ll speak up “someday.” Instead, write down who you need to talk to and schedule the conversation. Whether it’s apologizing, reconnecting, or setting boundaries, giving yourself a set day to act helps you move from dread to resolution.
4. Organize Home, Health, or Finances
Tasks like cleaning out the garage, decluttering old files, scheduling a medical check-up, or starting a savings plan often get postponed with “someday.” Janet Dailey’s quote about action gives you the push to name the task, choose a day, and make a concrete plan. Breaking down each task—even into fifteen-minute chunks—gets the momentum going.
5. Make Dreams a Priority
Dreams like writing a book, learning a language, or traveling are easy to file under “someday.” Reframe your thinking: What could you do this week to make a start? Sign up for a class, create an outline, or book a ticket. When you translate dreams into scheduled actions, you build a pattern of courage and self-trust.
Each of these examples demonstrates how trading “someday” for a specific day of the week leads to real changes in your habits and sense of accomplishment. Every step, large or small, begins by naming a real time—because that’s the only way action exists in our schedules and our lives.
✨ The Motivation Message
You have the power to take your dreams off the shelf and turn them into real steps! Every time you set a specific day to act, you prove to yourself that you’re in charge of your story. Don’t let “someday” steal the energy from your ideas, hopes, or needs. You deserve to see your plans come alive and your goals get checked off, one by one.
Stop waiting for the schedule to line up or for the “right” moment. That moment is when you choose it—right now, or on the next available day. There is strength in deciding, even when you feel nervous. Today, make the move. Put your intention on the calendar, even if it’s small. You’re more ready than you think! 🎯
Try this: Name one thing you keep promising yourself. Block off a specific day to start, and watch what happens—you’ll be surprised how far one decision can take you. Go for it! The best step begins with “now,” not “someday.”
About the Author
Janet Dailey, who was born in 1944 and died in 2013, was a bestselling American author known for her prolific work in romance and fiction. Dailey’s novels often explored the dreams, struggles, and triumphs of everyday people, reflecting her belief that everyone is capable of meaningful change. Raised in Iowa, she traveled extensively and built a writing career that broke barriers—her books were the first by an American author to be published in every Harlequin country.
Dailey’s straightforward, relatable style connected her to readers across generations. Her stories and memorable lines, like this quote about action, reflect her focus on determination and self-driven progress. Emphasizing personal agency and practical steps, she encouraged people to move past excuses and take their aspirations seriously. The quote “Someday is not a day of the week” distills her worldview into a call for intention and accountability. For Dailey, life was meant to be lived proactively, not pushed endlessly into the indefinite future. Her words continue to inspire people to get specific, act with purpose, and embrace the courage to start—today.
