Welcome to the twenty-sixth blog post in the series “Monthly Mindset Shift”! As the name indicates, this series has one new post per month and will continue for the next several months. Each post in the series details a positive mindset shift we can make surrounding a feeling or experience that generally has a negative connotation. (Spoiler alert: For this post, that experience is overwhelm around learning something new!) These shifts aren’t designed to erase all of our difficult/unwanted emotions around the topic at hand. Rather, they simply serve to improve our general outlook on the matter, which can, in turn, improve our actions and our outcomes. They’re all the more proof that a healthier, more constructive mindset can change the game!
Whether you’re learning a new skill for fun or starting out at a job where you know next to nothing, it might feel like information overload. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all there is to know. In fact, maybe you don’t even know what you don’t know! However, it might just help to take a step back and look at the bigger picture…
The mindset shift…
…every piece of knowledge you acquire is a piece of a larger puzzle. You never know if one puzzle piece will finally make some other puzzle pieces make sense. They’re all connected, and together, they’ll create a more digestible, cohesive unit. Instead of dwelling on what you don’t know, try putting the facts you do know into context with each other. You’d be surprised how much clarity it brings!
This may seem like it’s more about learning strategies than it is about mindset, but ultimately, overwhelm has a lot to do with mindset. Feeling overwhelmed can be enough to make us doubt ourselves and potentially even quit the path we’re on. While there’s nothing wrong with pivoting as needed, self-doubt shouldn’t be the reason. If we can turn our overwhelm into organization, we’re that much closer to seeing ourselves succeed in this new area!
This concept in action…
So, how can we tangibly make that shift? Well, laying out all our knowledge in a format that’s easy to absorb is a great first step. Whether this new subject is something you’re learning in school or not, you can create a study guide for yourself! You may’ve only associated them with school in the past, but they’re just as useful for work or any other venture for which you’re learning lots of information.
Now’s the time to break out the different-colored highlighters, notebook dividers, post-it notes, you name it. Section out and color-code your notes in a way that will make sense to you when you refer to them. As you’re writing them out, take note of specific questions that cross your mind, and make a list of them. Next time you get the chance, ask your teacher/mentor (or if you don’t have one, research) these very questions. Hopefully, the answers will help things click for you.
The bottom line…
As overwhelming as it can be to learn something completely new, the way you look at it can make a surprising difference. You already probably know more than you think you do. It’s just a matter of pulling all your already existing knowledge together and determining your gaps of knowledge. As long as you have a good teacher/mentor (if applicable), things should gradually become clearer. And hey, if you don’t, it might be time to get a new one if you can!
Regardless, though, here’s a chance for you to step into your own power. Feed yourself the information in a way that supports your learning style. If this is something you’re meant to continue learning, the puzzle pieces will all fall into place slowly but surely!
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