“The first book is just practice.” – Jerry Weinberg
Practice means low stakes, low pressure.
You don’t make promises about outcomes, to yourself or anyone else. The only expected outcome of practice is: more practice.
You can’t get an F at practice. Grades are not the point. The only grade for practice is: present.
That thing you’re working on that looks so important today could look like practice in a year. In five years. Ten. The wider the scope, the lower the stakes. The more it looks like practice.
From that point of view, not doing a thing because you don’t think you’re ready for it, because you might not do a good job, because you might not have the time to do it just right, because it might not meet your standards or someone else’s, because of what they might say or might think… These are bad excuses and terrible habits of mind. Future-you will be disappointed, present-you will be bored and anxious.
Lucky for you, you can get started instead, because it’s just practice.
