Sundays With ScootyDub - Assumptions, Uncomfortable Conversations, & More Believing

Happy Sunday, Reader

We don’t find time. We make time by sacrificing something.

This month, I struggled to balance professional priorities and personal projects. No matter how much I tinkered with my schedule, something always fell through the cracks. It became clear I was playing a game of substitutions.

One thing in, one thing out.

We need to make difficult decisions to do what needs to be done. We can’t rely on cruise control to get where we’re going if we want to get there on time. We have to prioritize what truly matters.

That meant sacrificing 30 minutes of sleep, scrolling, planning, or whatever it is we want to do for what we need to do.

Takeaway: Once you embrace the tradeoffs, you will feel more in control and less overwhelmed trying to balance it all.

Pick your sacrifices wisely and with intention.

February notables:

🏈 Superbowl Sunday with friends — I’m not much of a football fan, but I do love the collective experience of the Super Bowl. It’s one of the few “cultural events” we still have. And this year, I realized my generation is now the target demographic for the halftime show. My group of 30-somethings jammed to Usher like it was 2006 again.

🍾 Ongoing contract with LC confirmed! — With my three-month fit check coming due, it was exhilarating (and relieving) to find out we’re keeping the good times rolling with an ongoing contract. I realized the uncertainty was pressing on me more than I let on. With the unknown becoming known, I’m fired up for the immense opportunity it represents.

🎉 Celebrating Sarah’s Birthday — Mid-week celebrations hit different. We ventured out for some fancy macarons on a chill Wednesday afternoon. In the evening, we ate snacks and played Rummikub and Scrabble. A great reminder that sometimes simple activities make way for simple joys and satisfaction.

Three Lessons Learned in February

I. Heed the evidence, not your assumption.

There’s a difference between perception and perspective.

Perception is automatic. It’s your interpretation of sensory input. You perceive through a unique lens.

Perspective is pieced together with evidence. It’s your interpretation of experience and information. You gain perspective, you don’t get it.

For example, you may perceive someone’s reserved nature as unfriendly. But by seeking evidence like context and body language, you gain perspective – and realize they’re probably just introverted.

The takeaway?

Question your perceptions, look for evidence, and be open to changing your perspective.

II. Your world cracks and expands with uncomfortable conversations.

Remember the last time you had a conversation that made your butt pucker? Where you could feel your heart racing and your palms sweating?

I bet you felt better after you had the conversation. Whether the outcome was positive or negative, by navigating the unease, you let go of the block. These conversations aren’t only awkward moments to endure but expansive opportunities we shouldn’t ignore.

While cracking open conflict feels risky in the moment, the peace it provides makes it worthwhile.

And one difficult conversation might open up your world in ways you never expected.

Everything sucks until you decide it doesn’t.

III. The more you do, the more you make, the more you’ll believe.

There are no shortcuts for skill acquisition.

You gotta bleed from your soul if you want to believe in yourself. It’s like shaping clay for the first time. It’s gonna be wonky. But soon enough, you’ll learn to be delicate. To push only as much as is needed.

It’s the difference between understanding and knowing. You can understand something in theory, but knowing it in practice is very different. There is no substitute for living through it.

The takeaway is straightforward yet profound:

The path to believing in yourself is paved with the work you’re willing to put in. The more you do, the more you create, the stronger your belief in your abilities will become.

Progress comes through more before better.