So you want to Escape the Rat Race. But are a Novice.
Once you've decided to escape the rat race, you'll be absolutely amazed at how many obstacles will spring up to deter you.These "Dragons of Derailment" will hinder you at every turn.Unless you recognize them. And know how to slay them.
I feel like I've been thrown into the deep end without a life jacket!
The learning curve is TOO steep. I'll never get there!
I see people doing that that are WAAY ahead of me. I'll never catch up.
I'm used to being an expert. I can't see myself starting something new, as a beginner.
Have you ever felt this way?
I still feel this way often.
For example - I used to be a very active athlete in high school. But in college I got lazy. And lost a lot of my good habits.
Now - I see people jogging past my window every day. And I want to be like them. I want to be them.
And yet, I don't get up, put on some sneakers, and run.
I have excuses. Like, my chronic back aches when I run long distances.
Sounds like a pretty valid reason to not run, doesn't it?
There's always a reason to not go forward.
The problem with having a good excuse, is that it allows you to block your blessing. It allows you to feel sorry for yourself, and feel comfortable that you at least tried (mentally, if not in actual actionable steps.) I guess you're just not cut out for that activity.
But here's the thing. People with much greater obstacles than mine, still run. Or take on other challenges in their lives. And don't just survive, but actually THRIVE.
If you can get yourself to TRY, you will make it.
When you first try, you will fail soon thereafter. Maybe the first time out... or the second. Or third.
When that happens, you have a critical decision to make.
Do you get up and try again - focusing on the benefits and feelings that success will give you?
Do you revive your excuse, go home, and tell yourself you tried?
Each of those reasons to feel intimidated, each of those reasons to let yourself off the hook is a Dragon's talon, sinking itself into your back.
Let's slay this dragon!
How to slay a dragon called Novice
I don't know enough! Fight feelings of intimidation. You're really good at some things. Just not this thing. That will change over time. But rest assured that you could kick the butts of all the experts combined, if they walked on your side of the tracks.
These gurus, these experts, these success stories - they got good at this one thing. But you're a lot better than them in other areas. They're not better than you. Remember that.
In the meantime, create a curriculum for yourself. Identify your desired outcomes once you have the knowledge, find out who is best at getting those outcomes, and learn to do what they do.
I feel like I've been thrown into the deep end without a life jacket! Don't let anyone make you run faster than you're currently able. In time, you'll be leaving the grandmasters eating your dust. But for now, run at a comfortable pace.
If you were running in the same marathon as world-class marathon runners, trying to keep pace with them would burn you out in les than half a mile. So what if they finish in 4 hours, it takes you 12? The goal is to finish.
So put on your floaters (if I can mix metaphors again), or grab that life jacket, and get your "dog paddle" on proudly! Find other people in the shallow end that you can commiserate with as well. That support always helps.
The learning curve is TOO steep. I'll never get there! What we all need is a teacher and mentor to help us learn. Too often, we try to do it ourselves. Either to save cost, or because our ego convinces us that this will be an easy way to go.
But if you're worried about investing in training yourself, perhaps the desired outcome isn't worth the expense. And that's fair, if you've done an objective assessment.
But do an objective assessment, before you decide to teach yourself.
Even if the training is cost-prohibitive, there are ways to get cheap/free training. Offer yourself up as a non-paid intern to someone who's already an expert, for example. Or, go to libraries and bookstores, and read what the experts are teaching.
(Note: While I highly encourage reading, doing is a lot better. And doing with the guidance of an existing expert, is best.)
I see people doing that that are WAAY ahead of me. I'll never catch up. You need to run your own race, and not compare to other people. Race against future self against your present self. If you do take on the challenge of learning this skill, each day your future self will be a little further ahead than your present self.
But if you quit now, your future self will stay right where your present self is today.
Don't let being a novice intimidate you.
Don't let Grandmasters intimidate you.
I'm used to being an expert. I can't see myself starting something new, as a beginner.
Really?
Get over yourself.
Get over the myth that successful people win all the time.
The most successful people have been HUGE FAILURES! The difference, is that they get back up each time they fail. They learn, and keep moving forward!
Maybe this movie about Sylvester Stallone will make you think differently about the avoidance of being a novice / the avoidance of failure.
Never avoid the possibility of failure. Embrace it. Learn from it. And soon, no one will be in your league.
