#513 And every day, we show up and fight

Learning often implies discovering what you can’t do.

I can’t write and convey what I want to say. I can’t speak Spanish fluently. I can’t do this yoga pose.

For many people that’s also the final destination, when in fact, it’s only the start.

We’re missing a word: Learning is discovering what you can’t do yet.

Or, even better:

Learning is discovering what, through diligent practice, you’ll soon be able to do.

After all, actions overrule thoughts.

I can’t write and find the right words… yet. But with diligent practice, soon, I’ll be able to convey what I want to say.

I’m not able to do this yoga pose… yet. But with diligent practice, soon I will.

I can’t speak Spanish fluently… yet. But with diligent practice, soon I will.

That’s all there is to it.

Discover your current limit. Realize that through diligent practice, you’ll overcome it.

Then you’ll find a new limit. And through diligent practice, you’ll overcome it.

Until you find a new limit, which you’ll overcome… through diligent practice.

Where do you let the discovery of your current limit be your end station?

I can believe I’ve published the perfect insight – until I narrate the podcast version a couple of weeks later and suddenly notice subtle typos and, sometimes, logical flaws. The typos and flaws were always there – but did I make a mistake earlier? 

I can believe I’ve nailed this yoga pose – until, during one session, I suddenly sense some tension in my neck I had never noticed before. The tension was always there – did I make a mistake earlier? 

I can believe I’ve cooked the perfect dish – until one day, I notice that the sauce tastes even better with a little less salt. But, even before I noticed it, the improvement was always there – did I make a mistake earlier?

Maybe learning is not about errors but about gaining ever more subtle awareness.