You Should Probably Care Less About Trying New Things
Back-to-school season is in full swing, and even if you haven’t been in a classroom for decades, there’s still something about those dry, sunny mornings that feels like a fresh start. A clean slate. A new beginning. The perfect time to try something new.
And you should care less about that.
Let me explain.
When we’re kids, we try new things all the time—and we’re TERRIBLE at them. Have you ever gotten a picture from a 6-year-old that you politely accept while secretly thinking, “wow, this is terrible (and maybe a little alarming)”? Kids are bad at drawing, writing plays, or just about anything creative at first.
But here’s the twist: they’re not bad because they’re kids. They’re bad because it’s their first try.
And you’ll also be bad the first time you try something new—whether that’s painting, cooking, or singing.
But who cares?!
As adults, we fall into the trap of believing we should be instantly good at anything we attempt. That’s only because there are lots of things we are good at—after years (sometimes decades) of practice. Sure, your life experience gives you a slight edge over a child, but when you start something new, you’re still starting with zero experience.
Take this example:
You’re 40 years old and want to take singing lessons. You have no formal training, no performance background, but you’ve tried karaoke a few times and enjoyed it. The problem is, you don’t feel confident—especially when you compare yourself to that 22-year-old rock star who seems to belt effortlessly.
What you don’t see is that the 22-year-old started working with a vocal coach at age 8. They’ve had 14 years of lessons, practice, and experience. Fourteen years—the same span of time between starting preschool and graduating high school. That’s a LOT of time to develop skill.
And what do you think that rock star sounded like at age 8? Full of mistakes, voice cracks, uncontrolled sound, vocal strain, and no emotional connection to their songs—exactly the challenges every beginner faces when they start to learn to sing.
So cut yourself some slack. Stop expecting perfection when you’re just starting out. You deserve the chance to try things, to make mistakes, and to be bad at something. In fact, it’s freeing to be bad at something—because unlike so much of adult life, there are no expectations.
Non-judgment is a skill in itself, one that helps you grow and learn. But just like singing, it takes practice. In a culture that fetishizes with “greatness,” it’s hard to allow yourself to be anything less. But when you let go of the outcome, you learn faster—and you actually enjoy the process more.
So yes, you should probably care less about trying new things. Suck at something—you deserve it!
