The Beginner’s High: How Knowing Nothing Can be Kind of Beautiful
Lifting the lid on the beginner mindset
I got punched in the face for the first time yesterday.
Luckily with a beginner’s glove that resembled a small cloud, no harm was done. (Ok, it made my eyes water. And my pride wasn’t sure what had just happened — had an ever so slight toddler-sucking-in-a-big-breath-pre-meltdown-moment. Aborted because… I’m 36.) But the GOOD part about this story is that when her balloon paw made a second attempt on my face, I BLOCKED it. I was so thrilled. Because 1) my survival instincts are somewhat present (as long as the attacker gives me two chances) and 2) this was demonstrable progress.
To me, being a beginner is one of the best feelings in the world.
Perhaps not on day one, unless you instantly fall head over heels for something (sometimes figuratively and literally, depending on your coordination… ehem Scottish downhill fell running). But a few hours or days in, when tiny things start to click, nothing beats that dopamine was high. As humans, we are programmed to love seeing progress. Praise a small child for something and watch it glow!
But WHY would you want to start something hard from scratch?
I’ve never thought too much about the reasoning behind all of this but was knuckling down to do my Daily Calm on the Calm app a couple of days ago (anyone else taking advantage of these? They’re the best) when Tamara Levitt proclaimed that today we’d be thinking about shoshin, a Japanese concept meaning beginner’s mind.
Shoshin in the water
My eyes snapped open. Iiiiinteresting! I managed to take in a few moments of Tamara’s dulcet tones on the matter before (as is standard when I try to meditate) my mind cantered off down a path marked ‘no entry’ (because we’re supposed to be in the moment and centred) and I got irrecoverably distracted thinking about how addictive the beginner’s skyrocketing learning curve is.
I later did some reading about shoshin and why starting down a fresh path feels just so good. These are some of the cool things I learned.
1. It’s about letting go!
You’re a total rookie — no one expects anything of you, and all cock-ups are forgiven. It’s so refreshing. Comparison, performance anxiety, throw them out of the window! We generally don’t love being bad at things, it’s perfectionist kryptonite. But there is a joy in the reckless abandon of being a kid again, sponging up the new things this wide world has to offer. Fear (mostly of looking silly) can keep us from some of the richest experiences. But as a beginner, you’re freely permitted to be genuinely useless! Rome wasn’t built in a day. Just let go and have a ball doing it!
2. It’s humbling, and opens your eyes
Starting something from scratch (and struggling at it) gives you a newfound appreciation for those who’ve put in the time to master it. Being the worst in a group takes guts and humility. All of those experts started where you are. If you’re used to being good at things (and some people stay only in that zone) and embark on learning something alien, it forces you to be self-effacing, patient, and resilient. It casts the intern at work and that frustratingly slow learner barista when you’re in a hurry in a new light. Be kind. That dummy is you.
3. It gives you super-ears
Cultivating a beginner’s mind makes you a better listener. I’ve found over the years that high achievers can flaunt an overwhelming need to ‘add value in every conversation and wisdom nuggets from their experience (‘you should really try this…’), whether the advice is sought or not. When you’re set back to the beginning, you have no choice but to listen, learn, and see things from others’ perspectives. You actively seek new or even opposing views. It connects you with people on a new level.
(As an aside, I find by far the most interesting people in this world are the listeners; the questioners. They are the people who notice the kaleidoscope of color and exquisite depth in life because they focus outwardly, not inwardly.)
4. It’s all-consuming
Nothing takes all your focus like trying to bend your mind and body around a new pursuit. If you have a hectic work life, are going through a bumpy period for any reason, or just need an active time-out from life, spend an hour laser-focused on that new thing. Time flies in the best way and the feeling afterward is GOLDEN.
5. It gives you a chance to find something that lights your heart on fire
Enough said! That hobby you’ve always wondered about. Just take the plunge. If you don’t know how to connect with someone who does the thing already (hello social media!) and find your in! I promise you’re not too old, too unfit, too introverted, tone-deaf, or uncoordinated. Do you want it? There’s a way.
Shoshin is about more than hobbies, it’s about cultivating a beginner’s mind in your worldview — looking at a situation as if it’s the first time you’re seeing it. Remember the sheer joy you found in first riding a bike, pulling apart a jammy dodger for the best bit, or not being able to pull on your wellies quickly enough because puddles NEEDED to be jumped in? Sometimes the little things really are the big things. I’m not suggesting you eat spaghetti with your hands just because it feels nice, but just don’t forget the pure magic found in discovery.
