Diffusing the myth of proficiency (part 1)

Anything you can learn to do, you can learn to do better.

That, in just one sentence, is the secret to how anyone has ever learned to do something with skill.

Because they're just that, skills. Skills that can be learned, skills that can be taught, skills we can train ourselves to do better.

Confusing a skill with an inborn talent or characteristic is as much a myth as a trap. Because if you can't learn to be better, there's no way you can fail by trying to.

The inverse is to acknowledge the truth that no one is born with anything--they've just be given a head-start.

Being honest about your ability to upskill is the first step in learning anything of real value. Because there's no sense practicing something you'll already get better at with time.

And the second? Giving up the idea that you need to be born with anything other than what you have. Long-enough to prove to yourself that you're capable of more.