Do you remember how to learn something new?

Have you seen children learning to bike? They are not afraid of doing it wrong; of falling or hurting themselves; of what others think. They just keep at it, get hurt, pick themselves up again and keep at it until they can take the training wheels off. They are a joy to watch because they are joyful by nature.

Adults, on the other hand, tend to complicate matters when learning something new. We become very self-conscious and fearful. What if I make a mistake? What if I make a fool of myself? What will others think? Will they laugh at me if I slip up? What if I fail? What if… This is because we have been conditioned to believe that adults simply do not make mistakes. Nothing could be further from the truth but many adults are so fearful of making mistakes that they never attempt to learn anything new.

The only way to learn anything new is to at least give it a try. Yes, you will make mistakes. So what! Do not be afraid of doing it wrong. Do not keep complaining about how difficult it is. You do not have to get it right all at once. Get out of your own way and learn in small steps. Otherwise, you will be frozen in the same place and environment like a statue. New learning opens up your world to wonderful new experiences and people.

If you are filled with fear, keep addressing your fear and conquer it, little by little. Here’s a secret: When you treat your learning like play, mastering new skills becomes easy and joyful. Make learning fun and you will never again be afraid of learning something new.