The Joy of Being Bad at Stuff

Welcome to Gratitude Driven, a weekly newsletter where I share practical ideas and insights across personal growth, professional development, and the world of AI and data science.

In This Newsletter

• The Joy of Being Bad at Stuff

• My Recent Content

• Everyday Gratitude

The Joy of Being Bad at Stuff

I have been lifting weights in some form or another (powerlifting, bodybuilding, strongman, etc.) for almost 10 years.

Early on, I tried Crossfit. Unsurprisingly, I mildly hurt myself one day doing some Olympic Weightlifting move I was not strong, mobile, or coordinated enough to do. Since then, I’ve always really admired Weightlifters, but I’ve been hesitant to try it again.

I just finished a long bulk where I was focused purely on hypertrophy, and I was very bored of bodybuilding. So I figured, why not use this time at maintenance calories to learn something new?

So, now I am learning “Oly” lifts:

Needless to say, the snatch (what I’m doing there^) is tricky. It requires squat mobility, overhead mobility, a lot of coordination, and full body strength.

So, I am not good at it yet.

And that is SO FUN FOR ME.

I think this mindset of loving the experience of being a beginner is one of the most important things for success in any area of life.

We often avoid trying new things because we're afraid of looking foolish. But what if being bad at something is actually a competitive advantage?

Being a beginner who embraces the struggle puts you ahead of the majority who quit at the first sign of difficulty (or don’t even start). Most people abandon new skills when they hit the frustration phase—that critical period where progress seems slow and the task remains challenging. But those who find joy in small improvements eventually become the experts, while everyone else stays on the sidelines, too afraid to just be bad at stuff sometimes.

When you willingly step into that uncomfortable beginner space, you often discover that your limits are much further than you think. I remember Scott Galloway suggesting that the moment you feel you've reached your breaking point, you're probably only a third of the way to your actual capacity. And each time you push through that initial discomfort, you build resilience that transfers to everything else in your life.

Plus, there's something wonderfully liberating about having zero expectations. When you're starting from scratch, every tiny improvement is visible and worthy of celebration. You're free from the pressure that comes with expertise.

This principle works everywhere. At first, learning to code, or learning machine learning, is really challenging. It can be tempting to give up during that phase of initial discomfort.

This discomfort is precisely the signal that you're growing. Our brains are wired to seek the path of least resistance, but real progress happens when we push against that resistance. The people who become truly exceptional aren't necessarily the most naturally talented—they're the ones who persisted when others gave up.

Embrace the awkward beginning stage, and one day find success.

What could you be gloriously bad at today?

My Recent Content

This week was all about AI Engineering! I put out a LONG video summarizing a very good book:

AI Engineering in 76 Minutes (Complete Course)

I also wrote up my notes in a series of blogs: part 1, part 2, and part 3.

Everyday Gratitude

One of the reasons I am so happy is because I find awe very easily in life.

It is not unusual for me to have several moments throughout the day where the mundane feels almost *magical.*

One of these days, I’ll share more about awe, and how it can help us feel more creative, connected, and mindful (and the science behind it).

But for today, I just wanted to share some things that made me feel grateful in the last few weeks, in the hope that it inspires you to find more awe in your life.

I hope you find some awe today.

Want to chat 1:1? Book time with me here.

Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

Follow me on YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn

Note: This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase I may make a small commission, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!