Growth Mindset

If you keep getting better, at anything...

In a month you'll have a big change.

In a year you'll be a different person.

In 5 years you'll be a leader in your field.

In 20 years you'll be a global expert and in the top 1% in the area.

The thing is learning takes energy.

We learn one language, maybe even 2-3 as children...

BUT to learn 4,5,6 languages and to keep at it takes energy most of us aren't willing to expend.

To start 3-ball juggling takes somewhere between 1 minute and 5 hours for 95% of the population. To juggle daily searching for small wins and new levels, year after year is a game of mastery. The world's best jugglers can juggle over 7 balls.

To get better we have to actively seek the next level.

We must break down, problem solve, and try new things.

Millions of people go to the gym regularly yet it's rare to see someone who has reached an elite level in more than one specialization in the gym. Most gym-goers have almost nothing to show for their persistence because they aren't applying the growth mindset.

Yes, keep showing up.

No, don't keep doing the same thing expecting different results.

What is the new approach that could be taken? If you consulted with the smartest men in history... what ideas would they have for you? Not all your ideas will be great but writing down ideas and continuing to apply the great things are possible. Innovation is at the heart of human progress.

Creativity comes from deep knowledge and understanding of multiple areas in life.

Become an expert in at least 2 areas that you are passionate about. Ideally, they relate to each other and you create something new by fusing great things together.

Ideas and inventions are the offspring we are here to birth.

Starting fresh can be tough!

If you're great at something sometimes we start to assume we'll be great at everything.

The reality is NOBODY is great at things they have not done.

We can't even see properly when we are born because we have little motor control in our eyes. Walking... it took a LOT of work! Not just those last few weeks of falling down and getting up but from early in the womb we are developing our ability to move. Lifting the head up is a massive task that takes us months and months!

So START! Free from expectations. It won't be great. Or even good!

If it is, it's because you've actually already developed skills in the area. If you have already learned 5 languages then a 6th will come "naturally" compared to someone who hasn't learned a language for a long time. If you've been playing ball sports and boxing your whole life then juggling will come easier for you. If you did breakdancing or even tumbling for years as a kid then handstands will come more easily than for those who developed less of these abilities. Guitar will come more easily to a practiced musician, especially one who is already familiar with stringed instruments.

Getting used to starting is a huge part of a growth mindset and something that doesn't come naturally to adults. Our tendency is to be more and more stuck in our ways as we get older. By this logic the bigger our skillset is as we age the less aged we are!

While no skill can be mastered since that would assume that the end has been reached. The reality is that we are infinite beings and will always be capable of better. Even considering biological decay we could have been better at our peak had we done some things better.

There is no ceiling. There is no limit.

Committing to excellence in anything opens up the door to excellence in anything.

Going from beginner to "not bad" is a worthy journey to take in many things. To speak enough of a language to get by and be strong enough to do any basic task required of you around the house is a much better place to be than the alternative.

Still.

Having that one thing you are so good at that it is second nature. That astounds people. That sets a new standard. That just feels like magic to you...

Is a life without mastery a life well lived?

Would life be better if you consistently did something that gives you great satisfaction? Something that you can pass on knowledge about to others or even future generations?