Brain Food #708
You don’t have to be good at it
Thoughts of the day
Some hobbies may be obvious to us, aligned to our natural inclinations and interests. But what about trying something new that had never crossed your mind before? Or something that you had never tried just because it might have felt too misaligned to your skills, or because starting now might just feel “too late”?
In a results-driven world, hobbies can teach us to focus on the process of learning and the pleasure of doing something in itself, instead of focusing on outcomes. And research has shown that practicing something new gives us a sense of mastery, and can increase our overall productivity.
A question to ask ourselves from time to time could be: What have I not tried yet that I would not mind failing at?
This weekend, try something you’re not good at, because you are curious, because you are not afraid of failing, because you might still enjoy it, and maybe, just maybe, it’s not always about winning. It might not lead to anything, but you will have at least experienced something new, while realising that you don’t have to be good at something to enjoy it.
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