There’s no age limit to learning.
My 85 years old father is trying to learn how to create an audio book! He finds it fascinating. It’s his way of keeping himself busy, mentally and physically.
Grandma Moses began her painting career at 78, becoming an iconic artist.
They reinforced my belief in this principle.
My life hit pause as other responsibilities of life took priority.
The pandemic shook me out of my complacency. What am I doing with my life? What happened to all those dreams and aspirations and ambitions?
I quit my job at the first instance and jumped in to catch up for all the lost years, with no clear idea of what I plan to do.
It’s been an amazing 2 years since. Satisfying, liberating and enriching.
Embracing Beginner’s Mindset
Learning anything puts you in a state of discomfort. That’s why it becomes difficult to learn something as you grow older.
I mean, look at the children. They’re quick learners. They’re not scared nor embarrassed.
The reason for this is ego, your sense of self. With age, it becomes unacceptable to look silly or make a spectacle of yourself as you go through the moves as a beginner.
The fear of judgment or societal expectations restrict your personal growth. Or maybe the demands of work and home keep you distracted.
To learn something needs you to come with an open mind; it requires you to step down from the high perch you’re comfortably settled in.
You’re required to expose your ignorance and be prepared to be mocked at your attempts as you struggle as a beginner.
This state of vulnerability is what is not acceptable to us adults. Hence the resistance to learn.
When I joined language classes, I was the oldest in my class, a mother of 2, while the rest were high schoolers or college kids. But a few classes later, we were all at the same level, making fools out of ourselves as we struggled with the new language.
This level playing field broke all inhibitions and ego as each fumbled and faltered and helped the other. Age no longer mattered.
Accepting that this discomfort was temporary gave me the courage to keep moving forward.
Moving Beyond The Ego
If you can move beyond your ego, then the journey becomes easy.
It’s because you’ve accepted that the first few reps will be tough. It slowly becomes doable and then easy.
Compare it to the first few days in the gym. Or with a new job. The first few days of settling down are overwhelming and unnerving. Then you find your pace and you’re all set to go.
Learning is an humbling experience. It shows you how much more there’s to do that you can do.
By embracing your learner’s attitude, you’re opening doors to more knowledge, more skills, more opportunities.
You’re opening up to new challenges, and are ready to face failures and obstacles.
You’re ready to dream, ready to redefine yourself.
The Uneasy Path Ahead
It’s not an easy path though. Doable but needs your 100%, be it confidence, commitment or persistence.
You can’t expect results or progress while you go on with your life as usual.
It’ll be disruptive since you’ll have to make changes in your routine. Maybe make a few sacrifices, like giving up your Netflix time.
You’ll have to be your own cheerleader to keep the motivation going.
Be patient and persistent. Everyday shows the progress you’ve made since yesterday.
Set yourself small, achievable goals rather than lofty, big ones. The small victories will keep you on track.
More importantly, stop trying to reach perfectionism. First learn, become good then build on it. Creating avoidable pressures of achievement can easily derail your efforts. They’re also demotivating.
Go easy on yourself. Remind yourself you’re a learner, a beginner.
Rediscovering Yourself Through Learning
Learning is a liberating process of self-growth, a gateway to rediscovery.
It lets you break out of the self-imposed inhibitions and restrictions.
It allows you to think of afresh, infuses you with innovative ideas, fires you with rekindled zeal, and injects you with enthusiasm and inspiration.
It liberates you from the clutches of your ego. Instead it allows a healthier, more progressive and positive approach to personal growth.
Go ahead. Have a look at that list of things you wanted to learn but never did.
Learn something new. Press the restart button and begin reliving with the renewed zest.
