When we learn something new, we have to put a lot of effort into it and our brain uses a lot of glucose which is the main source of energy. Julie Dirksen in her book Design for how people learn compares learning new information to biking uphill.

On the other hand, when we do something we already know, our brain doesn’t have to use so much energy. This is like the equivalent of coasting downhill.

How many times have you wanted to learn a new skill? Edit photos in Photoshop, paint a landscape, play tennis, improve your English skills,…?

I bet you were super motivated at the beginning but after some time, when it got more and more challenging, you became frustrated, and gave up, thinking you are not talented enough and can never be good at it.

The thing is, being good at something has little to do with talent. It’s about hard work and persistence. You have to resist the urge to quit and hang in there a little longer. With practice, it will eventually become easier.

Yes, this is the key element: PRACTICE. Without practice, you will stay where you are right now. Learning a new piece of information without putting it into practice is useless. You have to apply it ASAP.

You will make mistakes and feel out of place at first, but soon enough, your confidence will grow and you will become highly resilient.