What I Learned This Week: When “Trying” Becomes Permission
The What If Journal: Reflections from a leader in progress
I recently read a book called Tiny Experiments, and it unlocked something in me that I didn’t realize had been holding me back.
I’ve always been a dreamer. I love ideas. I love possibilities. I love imagining what could be. But if I’m honest, a lot of my dreams tend to stay right there — in my head. Not because I don’t care about them, but because I often feel like I have to commit to them long-term before I ever take the first step.
Somewhere along the way, I picked up this belief that if I start something, I’m signing up for it forever. That if I explore an idea, I’m promising to sustain it. And that kind of pressure quietly kills momentum.
In the book, the author talks about replacing rigid goals with small, low-risk “experiments” — short-term commitments designed to help you learn rather than prove anything. Instead of asking, “Can I do this forever?” you ask, “What would happen if I tried this for a little while?”
That simple shift reframed everything for me.
The Leadership Reflection
Since reading it, I’ve started approaching life and leadership differently. Instead of asking, “Do I want to do this forever?” I’ve started asking, “Do I want to try this for a season?”
That shift has been freeing.
I’ve said yes to things I never would have before, simply because I wasn’t sure I’d want to sustain them long-term. I’ve taken small risks that once felt too big. I’ve tested ideas, rhythms, and habits without the weight of permanence attached to them.
Some of those experiments didn’t last — and that’s okay. The book talks about how “failed” experiments aren’t failures at all; they’re data. They give you clarity about what fits and what doesn’t. And I’ve found that to be true. I’ve learned without feeling ashamed for changing course.
But some of those experiments have been deeply life-giving. They’ve opened new doors. They’ve revealed strengths I didn’t know I had. They’ve added joy, health, and creativity to my life. And none of that would’ve happened if I’d waited for certainty before starting.
I’m realizing how often leaders get stuck not because they lack vision, but because they’re afraid of commitment. We wait for perfect clarity before taking imperfect steps. We confuse wisdom with hesitation.
Tiny experiments create space for learning without pressure. They let us move forward without pretending we already know where we’ll end up.
The What If
What if you gave yourself permission to try something — knowing you don’t have to sustain it forever — and discovered something life-giving you never would have found otherwise?