Unstarted business
You’ve been dreaming to start dancing salsa, a new business, learning a new language or taking the boat license.
You were young, before 10 years old. And you didn’t do it. Somehow it didn’t happen. Your parents didn’t want you to do it, or something got in the way.
You were then 17. You told yourself that starting judo when you’re 17 years old is too late. Your peers who started when they were 6 are already black belt. You will never be as qualified as them. And it didn’t happen.
Time passed and you realize that you have these few dreams that are on your mind as unstarted business.
You already regret and you know that you’ll feel worse about it later. A bitter taste because you didn’t even try.
The truth is, it’s never too late to start. The first best time to begin was when you were 10. The second best time to start is NOW.
Lower the expectations
You didn’t start because of the expectations you put upon yourself.
For you, by beginning that craft, you had to be the best, an expert. To do competitions, to be better than your friends.
And you didn’t think that by starting “late” you could make it happen. But in fact, with hard work, it could have happened. You could have achieved a decent level.
You might not become this virtuoso Chinese pianist that started when she was 2 years old. But you could definitely be on the top 20%.
But when you think about it, would you really need to be the best to enjoy the process, and appreciate learning that craft? Probably not.
In fact, by lowering your expectations, you would make it more enjoyable and achievable. You’d think that after all, it’s not so difficult to start.
There are people who started later, or that are exactly in the same position as you are. And they are looking for the beginner to share the journey of learning.
Learning is the key, not achieving
In order to enjoy doing the craft you’ve been longing to do, it only matters that you get the feeling of learning.
You just need to feel that it’s doable, difficult but not impossible. The challenge that excites you, and that will make you want to come back and become better each time.
Within a few months, with dedication and care, you’ll become better than you ever expected. Better than not starting!
It’s the same with every new skill
You thought that it wasn’t possible to start learning that skill after so many years leaving school or uni.
In fact, how many times have you learnt something new at work? Learnt a new skill? I bet that when you think about it, it’s more than you imagined at first.
When you get the kick, the pleasurable emotion of learning something new, you want to know more.
You get to start new skills, and achieve all your dreams.
You realize that the hardest is to start, and that you don’t have any limit to how many new things you can learn.
You don’t need to be a genius. You’re just a person that is passionate to learn.
School made sure that you doubted yourself
The school system made sure to point out all your flaws, not to emphacize what you were good at.
It proposed you one way of learning things. You had to follow a fixed process, complying by ingurgitating texts by heart, and repeating it without thinking.
But you could never explore things on your own. Try things and fail. Appreciate the iterative process of exploring and failing. Standing back up and trying again.
What is the worse thing that could happen?
In the worst case scenario, you’ll subscribe to a class of whatever you want to learn, and you’ll do a three time trial, and realize that it is not for you.
But you won’t have spent any money (or just a little), or some of your time.
But it was necessary to understand if you want to regret this the rest of your life or if that sparks the joy the you’ve been dreaming for so many years.
You can lower the bar to try, and make it reversible in case you don’t like.
Start now
Now is the time to take action. Take a pen a paper, list all of the things you’ve been dreaming to do.
Sort them by how much you like the idea doing it, and by price.
Pick the first 3, contact the nearest club and and sign up for a trial. If it’s online, sign-up of the course. If it’s an app, download the app. The idea is to start low, and have an easy way out if you don’t like.
Start slow, with low expectations, and build up consistently.
Good luck.
Did that ever happen to you with any skill? Do you take action? What was the outcome of it? How did you feel about it? Please share your story below 🙂
