How do I practice observation vs interpretation?

The most direct way to practice observation vs interpretation is through a focused exercise: Pick one situation from the last 24 hours that triggered a strong reaction. Write two separate entries: (1) the raw observation — only what a camera would record, and (2) the interpretation — what you concluded it meant. Look at the gap between them. That gap is where most of your errors live.

Common pitfall: You write the observation and the interpretation in the same sentence, believing you're being objective. 'He was rude in the meeting' feels like an observation, but it's already an interpretation. The observation is: 'He interrupted me twice and did not make eye contact.' Until you can reliably tell the difference, every downstream conclusion is built on unstable ground.

This practice connects to Phase 2 (Atomicity and Decomposition) — building it as a repeatable habit compounds over time.