I thought it would be a fun thing to continue on this blog, with a more specific focus. Today is "throw back Thursday" and a perfect day to start this series with this quote from Adventure Time.
 |
| [Source] |
"Dude, suckin' at something is the first step to(wards) being sorta good at something" -Jake the Dog
Because it is true! Creating, no matter your medium, begins with suckin' at something. We tend to see finished products and think that it comes purely from talent, or luck. Some of it may, but most of it comes from patience and practice.
My finest and favorite moments of accomplishment come from when I really really worked hard on something. Getting my PR in a cross country race, surviving my econometrics class, finishing a tough crochet pattern. They all came with practice and persistence, albeit some of it forced.
I recently found this scarf stuffed in my sister's old dresser drawers at my parents' place. I can't remember when I made it. Probably sometime in early high school.
Before YouTube was exploding with helpful tutorials and definitely during dial-up internet- I made this scarf. Armed with only some basics, little kwidling embarked. I remember my young mind thinking it out. How would I change colors? Secure the ends? Make a fringe? And I made something that I was pretty proud of.
After I finished the scarf I didn't stop there. I figured I could probably make a hat too! I had no idea what I was doing, but I did my best and worked real hard. I remember the feeling of shock. I had created this with my own brains, my own trial and error.
Of course, looking at it now I just throw my head back and laugh.
But I remember I shouldn't be so critical. I had to suck at crochet before I sorta became good at it. It is a continual process. The more I realize that, the better I will get and the better my products will become.
What is something that you have seen yourself become better at through practice?
First of all, the name "little kwidling" makes my heart burst with happiness. Also, I love the message of this post. I saw an awesome TED talk by a woman named Carol Dweck about the difference between a "fixed mindset" and a "growth mindset." She points out that too often we tell kids, "Oh, you're a natural!" which implies that if they have to work hard at something (or suck at it a bit) it's not as valuable. Here's a link: https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=en
ReplyDelete