We’re scared to death to try new things because
we think we have to get it right the first time.
Joel Salatin
And therein lies our biggest problem–we think we have to get it right the first time. Somehow, as adults, we think we have to be perfect at everything that we do. So instead of trying something new, we don’t because we don’t want to make a fool of ourselves. It’s a good thing babies don’t have this attitude or we’d still be crawling.
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If you’re afraid of trying new things, of looking foolish then it’s important to start small. You have to build up your “bank account” of successfully trying new things before you try the one that’s scary. Or the one that might take some trial and error to learn.
My friends took me hiking local trails before I took my first hut hike. We did an overnight camp out in our home state before a friend and I backpacked for a couple of nights in another state. And I took some outdoor classes with friends before I took my first class on my own, in another state where we were learning to backcountry hike in the snow using a map and compass.
Each success built on the next success. Granted, it took a lot of local hiking before I was ready to do an overnight. But I started small and worked up. And that’s what you should do if fear is holding you back. Start with something small and then keep working your way up to things that are harder.
A new month is a good time to start something new!
Rabbit. Rabbit. Yes new month, new thing!
And if we don’t push us to try something new, we will be bored to death! 😉 Thanks for the reminder Jennifer!
Yes. Bored. Although with those cute children of yours I never think of you as bored.
Such a simple thought holds such a challenge! Gives me much to think about as I drive home today. I don’t have anything particular I am afraid to begin right now, but I am looking for something new to try — and when I land on it, I’ll keep this in mind. Thanks for sharing!
I often forget to start small as I’m usually looking at the big picture. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
And when we look at the big picture it sometimes stops us because it’s so big. Starting small is the best way to try something new.
Great advice. You miss out on so much in life if you’re always afraid to try new things! Sometimes you just have to take a leap.
As someone who used to miss out on a lot of things, I can say that’s so true Rebecca. I’m glad that I got the courage to go out there and start dipping my toes in order to prepare me for the leaps!
I don’t know if I’d want to camp overnight on a hike but I’m not fond of camping. Hiking, on the other hand, is great, and I just did a long hike with my daughter in Banff and made it all the way, even though I had a shaky start.
Quite an interesting post, Jennifer. Thank you for sharing it!
I think of myself as significantly less reluctant to try new things than most people. At least, most of the people I know. However, there are times when I’m quite hesitant to try something new. That is, there seem to be days when I simply would rather not.
I believe you got it right, Jennifer: The number one reason people fear the new is fear of failure.
In addition to your recommendation to overcome that by taking small, successful steps, I would offer another bit of advice to complement that one.
Try to approach the new like a child would. Children are fearless because they are so focused on having fun that they don’t even naturally question whether something will be fun. Until proven differently, they simply assume every new experience will be fun.
Staying childlike can be a chore for an adult, though. I recently blogged on ways to make it reasonably easy.
https://cafephilos.blog/2018/07/21/becoming-childlike-a-quick-guide-to-why-and-how-you-should/
I just posted an article on the same subject as this article, and also inspired by it.
https://cafephilos.blog/2018/08/14/our-fear-of-new-things/
You do miss out on a lot if you are afraid to try new things. I would like to think of something new to try. lol
I’m sure there are plenty of new things that you could try.