These days, many of us are finding ourselves having to learn new skills or improve on the ones we have in order to find a better job or to excel at the one we have. Learning something new can be both exciting and scary. A new challenge can get your blood pumping and let you step outside of your comfort zone and get a fresh look at things. On the other hand, trying something new can be uncomfortable and often, the fear of failure can be almost paralyzing.
So how can you put the fear aside and succeed in your new adventure? It's a good question. As a long time amateur fashion designer and sewing enthusiast, I have recently been considering take a college career program class on dressmaking and fashion design. The prospect is exciting, but I am very afraid that I won't be any good at it, and investing money in the class only to fail or give up would be a waste of my resources. So, I decided to look at what the experts have to say, and I ran across a great article at the Harvard Business Review about how to be excellent at anything. They made some great points, and I think the tips are useful to anyone who is trying to hone their job skills.
So here is the list (inspired by the article) of 5 ways to be excellent at anything
Peruse what you love- When you feel passionate about something, you want to work at it. When looking at new career paths, look at the types of things that you love and find the careers that allow you to do those things.
Do the hardest part first- This is a great rule for anyone who has a tendency to procrastinate. I know that when I am writing, the hardest part for me is getting started. The idea of what needs to be done can sometimes be overwhelming. So start with the hardest part and leave the easy parts as a treat at the end. This also is why it is better to do things you dislike, such as exercise, in the morning. Get started on the hard stuff first and get it over with, the rest is all downhill.
Practice intensely- The old joke is “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” the answer is “Practice, Practice, Practice.” You can't expect to be good at something right off the bat, it takes works. For me, it seems that often I expect to have a natural knack for something, and when I don't I get discouraged. Everyone you see that is really good at something, had to practice. And they still have to practice all the time.
Seek expert feedback- Finding someone who is more experienced can not only offer invaluable advice, but also can help to keep you excited about the task. Be careful though, to not let their opinions overrule your creativity and instincts. You don't want to be a carbon copy of them and often in their well intentioned attempt to help you out, they can stifle your own process. So seek feedback but do it sparingly and trust your instincts.
Take regular breaks- Sometimes it is easy to get so wrapped up in reaching the goal of mastery that we can forget that we need to step back a little to allow our minds to rest. By walking away from something for a little while, we can give our minds time to think about it and sort things out. Often, I find when I am working on something that I feel stuck on, just setting it to the side and doing other things can give me time to renew, and before I know it, I have a great idea that makes the project fun again.
So whether you are trying to train for a new career, improve your skills at the job you have or just trying to be better at your hobby, you can use these tips to help you become better. Keep in mind that everything takes time. Change hurts sometimes, but it also is the best way to keep growing.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer and regular contributor to several websites and other publications, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.
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