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Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Master a New Skill
Here’s how to jump-start the ‘growth mindset’ you need to succeed
Back in late May, during the height of lockdown in the Northeast, I fell into a major creative slump. I attributed the block to burnout, but after several weeks I began to feel like I’d never be able to pull myself out of the emotional quicksand and be able to focus on work again.
But then a light went on.
Literally.
The light came from an actual bulb. The key was that the bulb was attached to a light fixture I installed myself. Thanks to three YouTube tutorials, rubber gloves, and a husband/spotter, I managed to figure out the wiring and mount the brass fixture that had been sitting in a box since the winter.
I felt more accomplished than I had in ages. I’d crossed off a task that was stagnating on my to-do list, but more importantly, I was suddenly brimming with exuberance and fresh ideas, as if I’d received a creativity infusion. Later, I’d come to discover that that’s not far off from what actually happened on the neuroscientific level.
Jump-starting the growth mindset
Learning a new skill is like sending an army of smelling salts into your brain. Suddenly your synapses wake…
