Up-skilling and Adapting a Growth Mindset

You can do it (all night long)!

Up-skilling is Almost Always Possible

Have you ever hear someone you know answer a question or explain something intricate, and you're like:

šŸ¤Æ Wow, that's a really smart thought!

ā€”You (sometimes)

And then later you realize, oh, that's just something that they've learned either a piece of knowledge or a new skill, and I can learn that too.

I remember being in my early 20s (bless your heart, mini-Bagel), and thinking, ā€œHow do my friends know so much about politics and current events? And why do they care?ā€ (Yeah, I was just a little green back thenā€¦)

Now that Iā€™m older and wiser (just ask the gray in my beard šŸ§”šŸ»ā€ā™‚ļø), Iā€™ve realized that ā€œbeing knowledgeableā€ isnā€™t some magic potion you drink or a superpower youā€™re born with.

For example, I can sign up for a few trusted news outlets and podcasts, spend ~15 minutes/day digesting the most important stories and feel prepared to have a somewhat thoughtful conversation about whatā€™s going on in the world.

Itā€™s more about focused attention than it is about natural intelligence.

Think about that friend whoā€™s really good at fixing your computer or TV (you know the one). I bet all they did was restart, unplug and replug in some cables, and maybe follow some other directions straight from YouTube.

Are they a genius? Or just good at following directions?

Iā€™m not saying there arenā€™t really smart people who are exceptionally good at specific things (I donā€™t know why a clockmaker is the first thing that comes to mindā€¦)

Clockmaking is simple, right?

Do you want to learn something new but it feels unreachable? Or perhaps you donā€™t even know how?

Just start. Take that first step. Break it down in chunks after that. Youā€™ll find out pretty quickly if itā€™s something you want to continue dedicating time and attention to, and if you do, youā€™ll find that you can learn the thing more quickly than you think.

First, ask yourself: Is this something I want to learn?Ā If so, thereā€™s a really good chance you can if you commit the time, focused attention, and a positive-growth-mindset.

Readerā€™s Respond

Last week, I posted about learning to say ā€˜noā€™, especially for people-pleasers and those who put othersā€™ needs first.

Here is a response from an avid LYV Reader:

I think "Matt" is writing from a position of fear and scarcity. I've become very good at saying "no" and I've yet to have it hurt me or make me lose out on opportunities in the future.

Am I targeted and strategic in my "nos"? Or course. Often when I say "no" it's to something I didn't really want anyway. If I'm asked to do something I want to do then I will try to arrange things so I can say "yes" to the thing I want and use that as a reason to say "no" to the thing I don't want.

This is why establishing your values and priorities is so important. Once you've done that, "no" becomes both easier and more obvious.

ā€“Jules

See ya next week!

šŸ„Æ Bagel šŸ„Æ