Stop “Trying” New Things!
Stop “Trying” New Things!
I was talking with someone about painting, and she said with a glum tone “I was trying to make _____, but it did not come out how I wanted.” This made me think of when I would draw in my childhood: I would always criticize and try to perfect my work every step of the way, which left me feeling unsatisfied with the result, and ultimately led to loss of interest.
After years without being interested in drawing, I recently started digitally painting on my iPad, one of my latest creations is the background here. When we expect a specific outcome, we place constraints around the activity and suffocate innovation. Creativity is found in openness to both the result, and to the method of reaching it.
When we say to ourselves or others that we will “try” to do something, we inherently expect a less than optimal outcome from our action. When we choose to enter into a new activity, we do not yet know how skillful we are in that activity, and should therefore have open expectations for the result. “Trying” is the equivalent of assuming we are not skillful.
Instead, choose to engage in the activity simply for the pleasure of doing the activity, oftentimes the result will surprise you.
Ben Fairbrother
I’m an Empowerment Coach here to help you expand your potential by releasing limitations that are holding you back.
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