Leave your ego at the door

Ego can be a crippling thing.

Behind our ego lies a subtle intelligence; one, that, if sensing we are likely to fail at something, quietly offers up rationalisation for why we shouldn’t even try. It guarantees that we never fail by not letting us attempt in the first place.

Paying less attention to the voice of the ego is the first step in putting ourselves on a path to greater learning. When I became more and more content with being able to try and fail, I began to improve my ability to acquire new skills at an ever-increasing rate.

Children are the best example of effortless learning; and the reason they learn so quickly and without apparent effort is because they are simply more okay with failure than are most adults. As children grow up and turn into teenagers and adults, they generally become more and more self-conscious; and this is precisely when they become far less willing to take risks.

Risk-taking is absolutely necessary for growth, discovery, learning and understanding. One of the most important functions of a teacher is to create an environment wherein students are comfortable with risk-taking.

JBW