A couple years back, a lady I was supervising a volunteer group I was in gave me some of the most helpful advice I've received to date. I was asked to find what was wrong with a toilet and then fix it, something I had no idea how to do or even where to start. Waiting for someone to teach me would have taken too long and been redundant.
So this lady told me to just go in, have a look, and do my best. She said that in a situation like this, you shouldn't be afraid of not knowing what to do or worried about making anything worse because the worst that could happen is you try and you fail and you learn something new while you're at it.
She showed me how to not destroy the plumbing and sent me off. With the permission to just try, I went into that bathroom without a technical skill in sight, pushed my sleeves up and any hesitancy down, and set my mind to learning how this toilet worked. And to my surprise, in half an hour I managed to identify the problem, develop a solution, and create and install a replacement part.
It took a couple of tries. I looked ridiculous while doing it. A professional would probably burst out laughing at the sight of my craftsmanship. But in that short time, I learned so much about something as mundane as fixing a toilet and something as profound as discovering my own capability. I got the job done and made someone else's workload a little lighter.
And the next day when they asked again of anyone had experience fixing a toilet, I was able to raise my hand and say, "Yeah, I'm no professional but I know a thing or two."
Of course,moral of my story isn't toilet-repair specific (though, seeing as I just fixed the one in my parents bathroom today, I would say it's a worthwhile thing to learn).
No, in today's busy world of limited time and resources, ever-evolving technology, and high competition, it's important to remember that often times you aren't as far behind as you may feel. You are capable of learning something if you are willing to try and fail and try again. Ask questions, take a close look, and (provided you won't endanger yourself or others by doing so) just give it a go.
I may not be a professional, but it's safe to say that I know a thing or two this kind of thing. On that authority, you have my permission to try that thing you know nothing about, as well as my assurance that, even though you likely won't be a natural at it, the worst that could happen is you learn something new.
Reblogging from my main because I think my audience here could benefit from this too ❤
