sticking it out

Trusting the process becomes much easier when you regularly run into these little reminders that we’re all kinda going through the same ups and the same downs... “The tough thing is that consistency can feel like it’s not paying off for long stretches of time. You feel aimless, like you’re going nowhere. You’re not improving as fast as you like. I’... See more

That’s the fight—sticking with something long enough to have actually meaningful observations. You have to weather a lot of peaks and troughs to get there, but the time spent is worth it.

This is one reason why working through the pain of learning new skills for your job, training to become stronger and healthier, and putting in the time required to master your craft is worthwhile. In the beginning, you may feel stupid while learning a new skill or frustrated while sacrificing current pleasure for a future payoff, but when you make ... See more

When you learn something new for the first time you flail miserably at it, but eventually you identify your weaknesses and over time the process toward solution becomes almost instinctual. Things get better and easier, and somehow you’ve developed into this whole new person who could do the hard things you once dreaded, now effortlessly. I find thi... See more

You can see this everywhere if you look. For example, you’ve probably had the experience of doing something for the first time, maybe growing vegetables or using a Haskell package for the first time, and being frustrated by how many annoying snags there were. Then you got more practice and then you told yourself ‘man, it was so simple all along, I ... See more

“Powerful combination = Hate being bad at stuff + Willing to look like a beginner.

People who hate being bad at stuff are driven to improve. However, if they are unwilling to look like a beginner from time to time, they will avoid new challenges and struggle to reinvent themselves.

Meanwhile, people who are willing to try new things, but lack a thirs... See more

Learning how to suck at things without quitting is so important! Maybe it’s the most important thing. And for some of us, it takes a LOT to tolerate it. We need to be very very very very very kind to ourselves. We need to be giant strange superior babies inside the darkness of our stubborn heads.