Intentional Insights

July 15th, 2025

Insight

I fully intended to get this out yesterday, but totally underestimated how much time our climb would take.

My partner and I were switching up our normal climbing routine (we usually just boulder) to climb the tooth fairy, a bolted alpine route near Seattle.

We usually move pretty quickly in the mountains, but it's been a while since either of us had done a multi-pitch climb. What I thought would take us a half day ended up taking the whole day.

It was a great reminder that things often take far longer than expected, especially when it's something new or hasn't been done in a while.

I'm in a building phase with my business right now, which means I'm implementing a lot of new workflows. I go into things thinking I know how long they will take, only to realize they were way more time consuming than expected.

It's hard to estimate how long something will take when you're learning or doing it for the first time. Sure, I could probably rush through it, but learning takes time, and it's through this process you find what does and doesn't work.

Building momentum matters more than hitting arbitrary deadlines.

As long as you're making progress, you're still moving forward. Don't stress too much if things take longer than expected, especially in a learning phase.

The climb ended up being amazing, and I'm glad I didn't stress about the newsletter deadline. The best moments happen when you're not

Resource

Garmin InReach Mini 2

A great little device for backcountry adventures:

• Can send SOS if you're in trouble
• Send and receive text messages when you're out of cell service
• It's tiny and reliable

Essential gear if you spend time in the mountains or away from cell service.

Action Step

This week, test your time estimation skills.

Pick a task you need to complete (ideally something for your business or a skill you're developing). Before you start:

1. Write down how long you think it will take
2. Use a timer or app like Toggl Track to track the actual time
3. Compare your estimate to reality

Do this for 3-5 different tasks throughout the week.

This simple exercise helps you understand your estimation patterns and will make you much better at planning projects and bidding work in the future.

The goal isn't perfect estimates, it's better self-awareness.

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Until next week,
Cobi

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