If you want to do something or need to, but you’re afraid to do it, it may be that you’re creating the wrong pictures in your mind. Often we are put off doing things because we don’t know how to do them, we make the pictures in our heads of us there having no idea how to do it, because that’s the level we’re at right now. And with expectations like that, it’s no wonder we’re terrified and would rather not do it at all.

It’s important to remember that you’ll learn, and depending on what you’re doing it may be that you’ll be taught (and equally not be expected to know already). So, from that point of view, the pictures you create now based on your own skill level are false pictures, lacking the guidence and help that would be afforded to you in the actual situation, or devoid of the pressure you’re placing on yourself trying to be perfect before you’ve even begun. If you’re going to imagine a future, remember that it won’t be the present you that’s standing there, it’ll be a future you, certainly changed from the you you are now.
So, be vigilant. If you see these pictures coming up, stop! Change them to include a future you that is enjoying the learning, carefree as you begin your baby steps. Or see yourself having learned it all, confident and awesome, knowing what you need to. Or, if you’re feeling really brave, let go of all expectation completely, good or bad, and simply let the experience speak for itself.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 25th, 2006 at 9:32 pm and is filed under abarefootman. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.