Perceived complexity

Many people avoid doing things that they might excel at because we believe it’s more complicated or difficult than it really is.

Consider the long line of would-be computer programmers who decidedly compromise on liberal arts degrees when, in fact, they might be the next DHH.

Or consider those who would gladly pursue a degree in engineering or rocket science or AI, if these words didn’t come with the connotation of overwhelming complexity.

This is not to say these fields aren’t difficult to grasp or to master. But believing they are more difficult than they are (at the outset) can deter many people who are very much capable of excelling in them.

Hence a great rule of thumb: Don’t tell yourself it’s too challenging before you’ve tried it out. It’s one thing to give up on your dream of being a biotech engineer after you’ve slogged through a year of advanced chemistry. Entirely another to give up before you've even started.