It is never too late to start

The secret of going ahead is getting started – Mark Twain

Watching my son, who is only two year old, has taught me a lot. Babies have this amazing way of learning. They try and fail hundreds of times before they really get the hang of something. My son managed to stand up on his own at 8.5 months, but it took him another four months to walk around without help. During that time, he practiced a ton, probably a hundred times every day. And finally, he nailed it! Whenever he conquered a little challenge, he would clap his hands and celebrate himself. It is so cool! He was not stressed about what others thought, and he did not give up after a few stumbles. It really makes me think about how often we adults throw in the towel just because things get tough at first.

When I head to my tennis training sessions, I love to arrive at the courts a little early just to soak in the atmosphere. There is something special about being around other players that really boosts my energy. The excitement and endorphins in the air are contagious! Since I train regularly, I often see familiar faces, but I remember one day when I spotted two young ladies trying to figure out how to play together. They were a bit clumsy and slow, looking a little lost, but they were having such a great time laughing and trying to catch the ball. It brought back memories of when I first started training—my attempts were just as awkward, if not more!

As I enjoyed watching them, my trainer came up and asked me,
“Do you remember how it felt in the beginning?”
It was as if he could read my thoughts! I felt so thankful to my past self for sticking with it, despite the early embarrassment. I was proud of how far I would come and how persistent I had been in learning this new skill.

Initially, my plan for tennis was simple: I thought I would learn the basics in about 2-3 months and then find a partner to play with regularly. However, once I started, I quickly realized that mastering the basics would take a lot longer than I anticipated. I was pretty awful at first! Coordinating my hand, the racquet, the court, and my thoughts felt like a huge challenge. But after about two years of practice, I finally reached a point where I could play regularly with others while still training with my coach! It has been such an amazing journey.

‘Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish’[1]– Steve Jobs encouraged young students in his famous speech delivered during  Stanford Commencement Address at Stanford University in 2005. This could not be more true. We should learn the entire life, but if we want to gain new skills, we should really give ourselves a credit, which every beginner deserves. Whether it is about learning to drive, new foreign language, gaining a new certificate or starting a new hobby or sport, the same rule applies. It takes time and practise to master a new skill. The theory of 10000 hours says that it takes as much to master a new skill.

What makes us so afraid to embark on something new?

[1] Text of the Steve’s Jobs Commencement Address at Stanford University. https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2005/06/youve-got-find-love-jobs-says