I feel like much of the gains I’ve made in life have come from doing risky things and giving new ideas and people a chance. This is in line with my thoughts on living without regret; do it so you don’t regret it!
The important thing for me has been to know exactly the sort of thing I’m interested in. You don’t have to do something if it isn’t important to you. The balance between trying everything and giving everything worthwhile a shot can be tough to find.
There are lots of things I don’t care about and would never do, but there are also all sorts of random things I would, because they’re interesting. Just make sure that you don’t end up passing on experiences that you may regret later on. As what I’ve expounded in letting others do their thing, I think we should give ourselves the same chance.
Like many others, I’ve tried learning programming, but I just know that I won’t be the best at it (after I tried it). I wouldn’t know that if I didn’t try. And learning it has helped me communicate with engineering counterparts better! I’ve also taken part in Math Olympiad and robotics competitions as a child, but I quickly realized that I’m probably better at other things. The key point is to try it so you know, and have fun trying it. And I end up appreciating people who are great at those things more.
The flip side to always giving things a shot is, obviously, lack of focus. I’ve experienced it myself. For me, or for those around me who are inclined to this belief, we sometimes end up switching ideas too quickly or often. It’s hard to contain the propensity to go for the next big thing, but I guess I have to try!
September 15, 2021