There are many things in this world that bring us joy, and they vary greatly from one person to the next. For some people, it’s being in love; for some, it’s climbing the career ladder; sometimes it’s as simple as a beautiful sunset. For me, one of the things that makes me feel truly good is learning. And I’ve not always felt this way. I think it’s a relatively recent development. There is just something so magical about learning. It’s exciting and inspiring, and a nice little reminder that the world really is our oyster.
I’ve lived my life, up until quite recently, thinking it’s just one big shame that there is nothing I’m great at. I’m average to good at lots of things. But I’ve never found that one thing that I’m great at. And for a long time, I just accepted that. Accepted that I’m simply not one of those people who was just given a gift. How stupid is that?!
The most important thing Alex has ever taught me or reminded me I should say is that achieving greatness comes through hard work and dedication. He has a good job he loves, in which he’s highly competent. He also spent a few years playing rugby league professionally (before he got old) and has a university degree. I’ve always thought he’s lucky to have all that, but I realise now; he’s not lucky. He’s just worked his ass off to ensure he can spend every day doing what he loves. He doesn’t know everything he knows because he was born with the knowledge. He knows it because he’s put hours and hours of hard work in, and actively ensured that he is always learning, and always ahead of his game. And, this part is important, he focuses on what makes him happy, rather than what other people think he should be doing, and works (hard) on that to be the best person he can be. And not just in his job. In day to day life, he’s always seemed to just be good at things, as well as being passionate and driven. But as I’ve got to know him better over the years, I’ve come to realise that this isn’t by chance, it’s because he’s not afraid to try. And sometimes he fails, but he’s never ashamed of it.
That head is forever stuck in a book
So I’ve decided to take a leaf out of Alex’s book. I’ve taken the woodworking reigns with confidence and left the fear of failing, or not being good enough, behind. And it makes the whole experience a hell of a lot more enjoyable… who’d have thought?
A few years ago, I would have put this project in the too hard basket, along with more things than I’m proud to admit, telling myself it’s just too daunting, that there’s simply too much to learn. But the new improved me has taken a step back, looked objectively at where we are now and what exactly we want to achieve, and logically thought about the baby steps we need to take in order to achieve our goal. And that’s what it’s all about; baby steps forward. Or as Alex likes to say “get the lowest hanging fruit”; an analogy he uses meaning get the easy wins out of the way first, after you do that the job doesn’t seem so daunting and far more achievable. Which, now I’ve figured it out, makes so much sense.
And I really wish I’d adopted this mindset long before now. I wish someone had told me that I should never be ashamed if I’m not quite up to scratch yet because I’m still learning, I should be proud that I’m bettering myself. And also that there’s really no point in worrying about what you cannot change. And the past you cannot change, but you can change your future and your attitude towards it.
Yes, I know I should be wearing shoes
So I guess this is a post of encouragement aimed at anyone who is toying with the idea of learning something new but is putting it off for whatever reason. You might be embarrassed that you know nothing about this particular thing. Maybe you’re ashamed because you feel “too old” to learn it now. Whatever the reason, remember that that reason is the only thing holding you back. The only thing that’s standing in the way of you and your dream is your own self-doubt. In the nicest way possible, no one else really cares.
It’s also important not to get sucked into thinking learning has to be boring. We are a very lucky generation when it comes to learning platforms. There are countless ways we can learn. It’s not just a case of reading a book and sitting an exam. Obviously, the ways in which you can learn something will vary depending on what exactly you are learning. For Alex and I, we started by assessing everything we’d need to learn to build a house bus. Then we looked at who would be more suited to each task based on our strengths and our interests. Once we had assigned ourselves tasks and had clear objectives, we could decide how exactly we would meet them. This might all seem very straightforward, but standing back for a second and planning is often overlooked in favour of getting started as quickly as possible. Proper planning leads to proper goals which, given enough hard work, will lead to results.
Learning doesn’t have to mean being stuck indoors
One of the jobs we decided I would take charge of on the bus was woodworking. I looked into courses available in the area. Then I remembered I’m a tight ass and didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a course if I could possibly help it. I found myself on Youtube, and what a wonderful place that is! Let me clarify before I start sounding like my very behind the time’s dad; I haven’t just discovered Youtube, and I don’t refer to it as “the youtube”, I just haven’t really used it as a learning tool to this extent before. There is literally a tutorial for everything. Seriously, you should test it out. Try and find something that isn’t on there!
After seeing how much information there was readily available for me there, and knowing that I have a partner who would be able to point me in the right direction when I inevitably get a little lost, I decided to take that route. So I bought myself some second-hand tools and went for it.
And, so far, it is proving to be a success… touch wood (excuse the pun). I have two planter boxes and an outdoor pallet couch under my belt, and no injuries. I’ve also learned some invaluable lessons just by talking to people. The man I got the pallets from gave me some great tips. He told me about a useful facebook page to follow, and which tools I needed to do what I wanted to do with the pallets.
You can learn so much just by talking to people. Let people know what you’re doing, people will always want to help you and give you advice. And every individual has their own methods and techniques, so it’s always interesting to see different ways to achieve the same outcome.
We’ve also discovered an amazing community which we can’t wait to be a part of. Recommended by my sister (she is a member of one in Bristol, UK), Hackerspace is so perfect for people like us. It’s essentially just massive space filled with all the tools and gadgets and material you could possibly need, and like-minded people to share ideas with and learn from. What more could you want? We attended an open evening a couple of weeks ago, and we can’t wait to get started there! They have spaces all around the world, so if you’re interested in anything from woodworking to games development to costume designing, you should definitely find your nearest Hackerspace!
A hackerspace space
I will leave you on this note: Don’t ever just expect something to happen. If you really want something, you must take action. It won’t come to you. I remember thinking when I was a little girl, “I can’t wait until I’m old like my Mum, then I’ll be as good at painting as she is.” And I spent a lot of my childhood waiting patiently for that to happen.
As cliche as it sounds, just follow your dreams. Be ambitious. Have a clear idea of what the kind of success you desire looks like to you, and keep this in the back of your head as a goal. And then simply break your goal down into achievable tasks, and start with the easiest tasks. Before you know it, you will be halfway through the process you thought was impossible just a short while ago.
A motivational quote to help get you started
It’s so important to never stop learning and to never stop wanting to learn. When we combine a good heart, with knowledge and education, we have the power and the privilege to achieve such great things, and we should use it. Now go and take the first baby step towards that thing you’ve been putting off for so long.