It gets better and so will you

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A bought a new desk chair recently. I spent more 90 minutes setting it up. I studied the instructions, identified all of the parts, and took my time assembling the chair, making sure I did it right.

I did do it right, and the chair worked fine, but after I started using it, I noticed there was a flaw in the material and I could see that the seat backing would eventually come undone. I took the chair back to the store and exchanged it.

Setting up the chair the second time was a piece of cake. I knew what all the parts were and where they went, and everything went smoothly and quickly. I was done in less than 30 minutes.

I was able to set up the chair in about a third of the time because I had done it before. I was confident about what I was doing. I didn’t have to study the instructions or take my time making sure I had the right screws for the right holes.

The first time we do something is usually the most difficult. Even if we have detailed instructions, we are unsure and unsteady. We may come away with bloody knuckles or a bruised ego.

The first time I opened an office I was not very good at negotiating my lease. Over time, I learned what I could ask for, I knew market rates, and I had more experience and more confidence.

It was the same the first time I hired someone, the first time I appeared in court, and the first time I handled a big case and wondered if I should have tried for more than policy limits.

Writing your first article or blog post can be intimidating, painful, and slow. It may take you three hours to write 150 words. Do it again and it will be easier. Eventually, you’ll spit out a post in 15 minutes.

You may be all thumbs when it comes to networking. You don’t know what to say or do. You may think, “this isn’t for me,” but give it a few months; you might find out you’re actually pretty good at it.

Whatever it is, it gets better. And easier. And faster. You learn how to use the tools and implement the techniques. You learn from your mistakes. You do it again and again and eventually it becomes second nature.

Remember, there was a time when you couldn’t tie your shoes.

Don’t let your fears or inexperience stop you. If someone else has done it, the odds are that you can do it, too.

I know you know this. But sometimes, especially when you’re going through a rough period, you need to be reminded that it gets better and so will you.

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