After over a decade of schooling, most of us have been conditioned to get the answers right the first time – or face all sorts of unpleasant consequences. This has kept me from showing up and sharing my thoughts in public … and I’m fully aware it’s all in my mind.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this.
A while back, I came across a term I am fully embracing in my life: Experimentation. It totally shifted my attitude toward anything I wanted to change or get good at. Here are five perspectives on why experimentation is such a game-changer for me.
Mistakes turn into Learnings
When you experiment, you are bound to get a result you did not want. However, instead of fearing this, you can use the outcome as data points to learn and improve on. This way, you can turn your failures into valuable lessons that can help you pivot and try a different approach.
Building resilience
Experimentation helps you build resilience and develop a growth mindset. Imagine being in a science lab where you test a hypothesis and measure results. If it doesn’t work out, figure out what to change and test again.
It’s not personal
This is a big one for me. Experimentation allows you to detach the outcome from defining your value as a person.
Expanding your comfort zone
It becomes so much easier to try new things. Experimenting helps you step out of your comfort zone. There is a lightness and ease to any actions you take. Taking risks in public becomes so much easier.
Generating new ideas
Experimentation can lead to new and innovative ideas. You discover new solutions and opportunities you may not have considered by trialling different approaches and methods.
Embracing an attitude of experimentation in this fast-paced digital age makes growing fun and opens up new vistas we never thought possible.
I hope you are as excited about this concept as I am.