The other day I was out with some friends. At some point in the night, a few of their other friends, whom I’d never met before, joined us. After introductions, we got into the typical “What do you do?”
At this point, I explained that I teach people how to code and build their own web applications, “You know, like Facebook, or Pinterest.”
And then I got the all-too-common response:
“Oh. I’m not smart enough for that.” ::awkward laugh::
And this upset me, as it does every. single. time.
Why? Because most of the time it’s simply not true! It’s a cop-out. A (lame) excuse.
What often looks like “smart,” or “successful,” is really just a combination of a bit of interest and a lot of persistence.
As Thomas Edison once said:
“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
Success: one part inspiration, lotsa parts persistence
If you put in enough time and effort, there’s every chance you can learn just about any new skill. Just start out with direction, and a goal in mind, and make small, consistent progress.
So the next time you think “I’m not smart enough for that,” stop. And think again. I’m willing to bet you are.
What’s one thing you’ve thought about learning but ultimately didn’t pursue?