The Quiet Power of Starting From Scratch

A few Sundays ago, I found myself on the rooftop of a mall restaurant, catching up with friends over a lazy lunch. As we laughed and lingered, my attention kept drifting to an elderly man seated alone a few tables away. He wasn’t eating—he was sketching. Head bowed slightly, pen gliding over paper with a quiet confidence, he was fully immersed in his work. Curiosity got the better of me. After my meal, I walked over and introduced myself. I told him I used to draw and that I’ve recently been trying to rediscover that part of myself. He smiled and told me he only started drawing four years ago—self-taught through YouTube. What started as curiosity became a daily practice, nudged by online art communities. Now, he keeps a visual diary: drawings and notes documenting his travels and thoughts, all created for his daughter to someday read. What struck me most wasn’t the beauty of his sketches (though they were beautiful). It was his boldness to begin something new at his age, without shame or hesitation. That stuck with me. Because I believe one of the most underrated superpowers in life is the willingness to look foolish when you're starting out. I work in tech, where nothing stands still. Tools change. Frameworks evolve. Entire paradigms shift overnight. You fall behind if you’re too proud to ask questions or afraid to look like a beginner. The people I admire most in this space are the ones who keep learning—who dive into new challenges headfirst, even if they’re clumsy at first. That’s been my approach too. Whether it’s exploring new tools, starting a creative hobby, or just asking “dumb” questions in a meeting, I’ve learned to lean into the discomfort of not knowing. Because on the other side of that discomfort is growth. So here’s to starting small, to asking questions, and to not pretending you have it all figured out. Whether you’re writing your first line of code or sketching your first tree, stay curious. Stay a beginner. It’s how we move forward.

Jun 16, 2025 - 12:50

The Quiet Power of Starting From Scratch

A few Sundays ago, I found myself on the rooftop of a mall restaurant, catching up with friends over a lazy lunch. As we laughed and lingered, my attention kept drifting to an elderly man seated alone a few tables away. He wasn’t eating—he was sketching. Head bowed slightly, pen gliding over paper with a quiet confidence, he was fully immersed in his work.

Curiosity got the better of me. After my meal, I walked over and introduced myself. I told him I used to draw and that I’ve recently been trying to rediscover that part of myself. He smiled and told me he only started drawing four years ago—self-taught through YouTube. What started as curiosity became a daily practice, nudged by online art communities. Now, he keeps a visual diary: drawings and notes documenting his travels and thoughts, all created for his daughter to someday read.

What struck me most wasn’t the beauty of his sketches (though they were beautiful). It was his boldness to begin something new at his age, without shame or hesitation.

That stuck with me. Because I believe one of the most underrated superpowers in life is the willingness to look foolish when you're starting out.

I work in tech, where nothing stands still. Tools change. Frameworks evolve. Entire paradigms shift overnight. You fall behind if you’re too proud to ask questions or afraid to look like a beginner. The people I admire most in this space are the ones who keep learning—who dive into new challenges headfirst, even if they’re clumsy at first.

That’s been my approach too. Whether it’s exploring new tools, starting a creative hobby, or just asking “dumb” questions in a meeting, I’ve learned to lean into the discomfort of not knowing. Because on the other side of that discomfort is growth.

So here’s to starting small, to asking questions, and to not pretending you have it all figured out. Whether you’re writing your first line of code or sketching your first tree, stay curious. Stay a beginner.

It’s how we move forward.