If you’re new. You suck. But that’s ok.
You are going to suck before you are good.
We all want to take on new things in our lives. Learn a musical instrument, get a new job or a promotion, start a new business, move to a new place or even begin a new relationship. The problem is we start these things and never get to the goal and most fail because it’s just too darn hard and we struggle… at first.
New endeavors require new skills. New skills take time to learn. You can be the most positive and motivated one in the world but that means nothing when it comes to results from a new skill.
What doctor would you rather preform brain surgery on you?
Doctor A: Drags themselves to work. Complains about Mondays. Not very chipper or even that polite for that matter. They have been practicing brain surgery for 25 years and went to school for 12 prior to that.
Doctor B: Super excited to be at work. Has great professional and personal goals. Very charismatic. Makes you and everyone in the room feel great. Received an online credential and been practising for 3 months.
The answer is obvious. I would much rather doctor ‘A’ poking around in my brain because he has the developed skills. The skills are the difference to get the job done.
When starting something new we forget that it will require new skills. No matter what you start, at first you will suck.
Think about the first time you joined your golf buddies on the course and you were ‘that guy’. Or even your first French kiss. It was, although exciting, probably a total mess.
Give yourself a break. Starting something new is hard. Its uncomfortable and you will screw it up. Anyone who is any good at anything has taken the time to develop the skills to be successful.
Consider this article permission for you to suck. Suck at something new. Then suck some more at it. Then fall flat on your face. Then when you have sucked and failed you can look back at the next new person starting the same thing or even yourself when you started and you’ll realize you have made progress.
You will suck before you are good. And that’s OK.
Brendan