It’s not that serious

You learn through experimentation.

You didn’t know how to walk, talk, or write at birth. But now? You can.

Want to learn a new skill?

Watch a YouTube video, start practicing, or buy a course if you’re all in.

Want to start a business?

List 10 problems you’d be interested in solving. Research the top three that excite you most. Talk to potential customers. Then just… start.

It’s not that serious.

You can just do things.

Because here’s the truth:

99% of decisions aren’t permanent (or fatal).

Gamify it. Timebox it. Set a goal. Then go do the damn thing.

A personal story

Over the past three months, my life has gone from laser-focused to wide open.

I was locked in on:

• Training for endurance challenges every three months.

• Producing short films (s/o Seaweed Cowboy and all the cool shit we did).

• Running biz dev at my old full-time gig.

Now?

• No full-time gig.

• No immediate endurance challenge.

• No big thing I feel pulled to build.

In classic overachiever fashion, I’ve been stressing myself out—hard—to figure out all the answers ASAP.

But if I’m honest with myself, I already know what I’m doing:

• Writing

• Following my curiosity

• Making silly little videos that bring me joy.

• Learning about AI tools (tbh I’m mind blown daily)

• Creating the space I need to figure out what I want to build next

Until that clarity comes? It’s all an experiment.

I’m taking courses. Writing this newsletter. Researching projects and topics I’m curious about. Posting on LinkedIn and Instagram to see what resonates.

The only thing I have to do each week is send this newsletter.

And I’m reminding myself: that’s okay right now.

Real-life examples

• Thomas Edison: Failed 1,000 times making the light bulb—he found 1,000 ways it didn’t work. Experimentation is how innovation happens.

• Sara Blakely: The founder of Spanx sold fax machines door-to-door before pivoting to create a billion-dollar brand. She used trial-and-error to prototype her first product, even cutting the feet off pantyhose at home to test ideas.

• Steve Carell: Before becoming a household name in The Office, Carell worked odd jobs, including as a mail carrier, and struggled for years to land consistent acting gigs. He kept experimenting with roles until he found his sweet spot in comedy.

Try this today

Run your own micro-experiment:

1. Pick something new you’ve been scared to try.

2. Commit to doing (aka sucking at) it for 30 days.

For example:

• Want to write? Write 500 terrible words every day for 30 days.

• Want to learn guitar? Strum like a dying cat for a month.

• Want to get in shape? Run everyday for 30 days.

Focus on consistency, not results.

Take notes on what you like, what you don’t, and iterate along the way.

Wrapping up

Life’s not that serious.

Treating it like a series of experiments frees you from the pressure to be perfect.

You’ll suck. You’ll learn. You’ll grow.

That’s the process. And that’s where the magic happens.

So go out there and mess something up today. It might be the best decision you make.

Rooting for ya.

– Dodds

P.S. Not yet subscribed to The Dodds Letters? Fix that here.

P.P.S. If today’s big idea made you think, share it with a friend who needs to hear this.