Trust the System You’re Building
The thing about driving Uber is… it’s not just about food or money.
It’s about trust.
The other day, someone I know asked me a question. She just started doing DoorDash, and she was spiraling a bit, asking me:
“What kind of orders do you take?”
“What should my baseline be?”
“What’s your system like?”
And I told her:
All the things you’re asking? That’s exactly what I meant when I said, “This job will teach you to trust yourself.”
If you’re constantly questioning every move, what should I pick up? What should I accept? Where should I drive? that’s not just about the app. That’s about you. That’s about your ability to trust your own judgment. And that’s a muscle you build here, in the middle of your route, with a warm bag of takeout in your passenger seat and no one else to tell you what’s right but your gut.
For me, I’ve built a system.
I don’t take any order that pays less than $1 per mile. Period.
If it’s $8, then it better be under 8 miles. I’m not wasting gas, time, or peace for something that doesn’t make sense. I also pay attention to where the orders are going. Because if I end up somewhere that’s always dead, some random, quiet pocket, I’m wasting even more time getting back to a busy area. I’ve learned these rules over time. I’ve learned me.
And here’s what I told her:
“That system you’re trying to build within the app? That’s the same one you’re building inside yourself. It’s about boundaries, standards, baselines. It’s about trusting your own judgment, even when you feel unsure.”
Driving for Uber is simple in theory:
You get an order.
You hit a button.
You go to the restaurant.
You pick it up.
You drop it off.
That’s it.
Anyone can do it.
But the work, the real work, is in how you do it. In learning to make decisions even when you’re in a new neighborhood, or you’ve never been to that restaurant before, or you’re unsure if it’s the right call. It’s about feeling that internal tug and saying, “You know what? I’m going to trust this.”
And honestly? That’s life.
That’s dating.
That’s friendships.
That’s emotional boundaries.
You learn what’s worth your energy.
You learn what’s calling you, and what’s just noise.
You build a system.
And you trust yourself to walk away when it’s not working.
xoxoxo,
Outtamydamnmind
Let’s Ride This Out Together
Why do you subscribe to The Diary of an Uber Driver?
Drop a comment and let me know what this series means to you—or what it’s teaching you about yourself. Because this is about way more than delivering food. It’s about learning how to show up, how to leave, how to build a system that respects your time, your peace, and your energy.
If something in this post hit home, consider making a pledge to buy me a trip "outtamydamnmind", whatever that means to you. A tank of gas. A night off. A slice of peace.
Your support keeps this diary rolling, literally and emotionally.
And trust me, I’ll keep showing up here with the truth.
Great advice OUTTAMYDAMNMIND ! All of life is a lesson in all this stuff, righ? But Uber driving puts it all under the microscope.