How to get yourself to try anything

Posted byMicahPosted inGuide, Life, Tips, wellnessTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It could very well be that my death arrives after eating a poisonous mushroom that looked cool or cliff jumping from an overly ambitious height in an unknown, remote island. I am all for trying.

I am curious about results, outcomes, discoveries, experiments, and explorations. The process of finding out or learning more is infinitely fascinating to me.

So I want to try. Not exactly to succeed, but to know. Of course, I know this is not the same for everyone. For some, it is hard to try.

Do you find yourself in this situation? Here are some tips and concepts to consider to get yourself to try anything.

1. Be ready to fail.

We often hesitate to start because we are afraid to fail. But are we really? What does it mean to fail anyway? To some, it is not failure that is a problem but the expected or associated rejection, loss of esteem, or humiliation.

It is us interpreting the failure, when in fact, it does not have to mean anything other than what we tried did not work. It does not make us bad or any less of a person. If we do not take it personally and simply focus on the process, then it would never hurt to try anything, would it?

2. Approach it with curiosity.

What else is there? People, like cats, can be curious. We want to know, experience, and feel. When we are able to replace our fears with curiosity, a new lane of opportunity opens up for us.

Personally, I enjoy test-taking because I want to know where I am at or if I can do something. If I can, then that surprises both of us; if I cannot, then I know I need to put a little more effort into it and have another go.

It gets exciting when we are able to stand on the edge and see just how far we can go. Growth comes when we make room for it, so we have to try!

3. Put the time in perspective.

Another common reason for not trying is “It takes too much time.” But honestly, what does not take time? Even instant noodles take five minutes to cook.

To illustrate further: This last avocado season, I must have germinated 20 avocado pits. Each small plant has been planted on our land and in five years, they will mature and start bearing fruit.

Of course, it would have been easier to just throw the pit because five years is a long time to hope for one fruit. But since I started this year, the wait will only be four years and counting. Time will pass no matter what we do. Let us make a choice that works in our favor.

4. Be there for yourself.

Think about the worst case: we failed. Now what? It can be a scary proposition if we believe we will lose everything, but as long as we have ourselves, we have all that we need to get everything back and more.

Often, we count ourselves too early. Isn’t it a lot better if we become our own cheerleaders? If in our hearts we know who we are, then winning or losing does not really change much, does it?

5. Not trying is the same as failing.

Coming from this perspective, what is there to lose? We have already failed if we do not try, so might as well try to give ourselves a small chance for success, or at least a good story to tell.

We are not doing anything crazy, right? We are just trying, so why the hell not? We can always go back, or forward, no matter what. Just try!

122 thoughts on “How to get yourself to try anything”

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  2. “Not trying is the same as failing” – hear hear!
    We are all for embracing failure as part of the learning process, so no regrets, right?

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  9. You do have to try things to develop knowledge and confidence. I don’t think I’d try some of the things you want to do, but I am very good at trying to understand new things and doing loads of research in order to get where I want to be. I did my degrees part-time via a correspondence university and taught myself to bake, do fondant art and build gingerbread castles from books. It just take some effort and determination.

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  10. You are awesome, Micah! 🙂 I love your can-do spirit! You’re right – if life is an adventure, why not go for it?

    Your words about failing are spot-on! It’s absolutely true. The only reason we feel bad about ourselves when we fail is because we have assigned a ‘personal value’ to it. It may be an old wound trigger from long ago. Or it could be pointing to a lack of self-esteem that we need to work on. Either way, failure by itself really means nothing. As you brilliantly said, it just means that what we tried didn’t work out as we hoped or planned. So what! We can move on and try again or use a different approach. We’ve grown simply because we gave it a go!

    Isn’t it amazing how down we can be on ourselves? I love what you said about being our own cheerleaders. It’s so true. When we realize that what others have said about us doesn’t matter and that even the wrong mess we think about ourselves doesn’t matter, we begin to find freedom. Lies are still lies. We must embrace the truth that we are capable, we are amazing, and we are worth every great thing that comes along in our lives. Hard times, or even failures, don’t change that. It simply means we’re going through a rough season. It will pass! Learning to treat ourselves as our own best friends and speak kindly to others and ourselves, brings change like we couldn’t have even imagined possible!

    One of my favorite points in this post was about the avocado. You’re right, time passes whether we are using it to our advantage or not. Why not put in the work now so we can reap an even greater harvest later? We really do get out of life what we’ve put in. The best results come from that inner work that doesn’t feel so good when we’re in the middle of it!

    Sending my love to you. Thank you for another uplifting, fun to read post. You are loved!

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    1. Thank you, Holly. I always love reading your thoughtful comments. Thank you for adding so much value. I agree on your points, especially about freedom and knowing who we are. When we begin to understand these things, we start to really live, and if we are lucky, enjoy life! Hoping you are well and are having a stress-free lead up to the holidays. Much love back to you and your family.

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  12. Not trying is the same as failing >> this is exactly my thoughts when i was training for marathons before! And I am always curious about exploring and enjoying high places but always fear overcomes my curiosity

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  15. Yes, in a way not trying is a default fail!
    Framing ‘Being wrong’ and failure should be discussed/taught in schools…it’s an essential part of a healthy growth mindset. Did you see Elon Musk and his RUD (rapid unscheduled disassembly) yesterday?! Great stuff

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  16. You guys make me smile. I am not much of a daredevil these days—hmmm, was I ever?–but have sometimes done crazy things like attend a Native American sweat lodge with sixteen men. Will remember all your advice for the next opportunity that arises.

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    1. That sounds really interesting, Kathy. I feel trying is not just about being a daredevil. We can try simple things and just the novelty will give us happy hormones, especially during this time. Like I was saying, I want to try knitting at some point.

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  17. A really good post with some valuable tips! I always try to think life is too short so live like there’s no tomorrow.
    I’m kinda scared of heights. So it took some courage to go on a zipline and parasailing. But I loved them!
    I find I sometimes need to talk myself into it – train my inner voice to be brave lol. And it helps to have a husband who loves breaking boundaries. ☺️

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    1. That sounds lovely! Thank you for sharing. Will you do these things again though? Super glad you have a husband that encourages you. I think it is one of the hallmarks of an awesome relationship – if we are able to inspire each other to be better.

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      1. I think now that I’ve done them once and loved it, I’d definitely do them again – despite last minute jitters.
        Agreed, it’s great to be with someone who builds you up. ☺️

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  18. I think both of you are amazing. You embrace one thing after the next. Yes, you are a long time dead. My greatest growth has come challenging myself and moving out of my comfort zone. The thing I feared most in life was speaking in front of people, and I ended up, effectively, doing this for a living. Staff over the years tell me I have a real presence when I walk into a room (I don’t think that’s true) to do what I need to do. Anyway, whether it’s before a handful of people or hundreds, it doesn’t phase me anymore. I had to address a couple of “town hall” meetings last week – tough crowd – but you get that.

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  19. Not trying is also failing is so true.

    I’ve never believed in a catchphrase of brands but Nike’s “just do it” stuck with me 😆 I sometimes hesitate to try things because I overthink things,I often think of what’s the point if I do this or not. But lately I’m all for just doing it rather than regretting of not doing it.

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    1. Congratulations for the change in mindset. I understand the overthinking part, in fact I can turn things in my head a bit, too, but not as much as Markus. Haha. Do you think the pandemic has encouraged people to go for opportunities more because they have seen how things can dramatically turn overnight?

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      1. I have to check it out when we get home… can’t believe that I am from Antipolo and yet, I don’t know about it… (our house as a couple is in Antipolo)

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  21. A thought-provoking post! Makes me think about risk-taking, why some folks are more likely to do it, while others, not so much. Can it be learned? Should it be learned? Obviously you are making a good case for it 😉

    Makes me want to write a blog post on it (and thank you for the inspiration!)… Hmmm. Maybe. Maybe… xo

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    1. Excellent points, Lani. Looking forward to your further explorations. But I feel that trying is not just about risky things – sometimes we hesitate to try even simple things that we are 100% sure will be good for us. And this is what drives me nuts sometimes! Anything you almost did not try so far but are glad you did?

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      1. That’s a good question. Nothing comes to mind right away. I think because I’m generally in the ‘try anything once range’ … probably teaching something new in the classroom. And writing! 😛

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  23. My quest for “knowledge through doing” is strong!! I didn’t just wonder about circus arts, I took classes. BDSM? Classes. Striptease? Classes! Posing nude? Did it! etc.

    One thing I tell people who are afraid of failing is how much fun I have with it. If the experience is new to me and I’m awful, instead of worrying about being judged I lean in… get REALLY obvious about being bad. My theory is that it’s entertaining plus allows others to think “well, at least I’m not as bad as her!!”

    Plus, I’ve taken enough classes to know that at an intro class no one’s judging you, cause they’re too busy thinking everyone is judging them!!

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      2. Quiche: 1 pie crust in 9″ pan. Add 1 cup “flavorings” (broccoli, spinach, meat, whatver). Add 1 cup shredded cheese. Beat 4 eggs with cream (crap… can’t remember if that’s also one cup), salt & pepper to taste. Pour over

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  24. Trying new things can be awkward, uncomfortable, and even frustrating, but I choose all of those feelings versus living a stagnant life. Looks like you are modeling that behavior quite bravely! 😁Encouraging and motivating post.

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    1. Thank you, Michele. You are right, of course, which I suppose is the reason why the perspective we choose helps us to take a step. Stagnation is never fun! Was there anything you almost did not try but you were so happy you actually did do it?

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    1. Thank you. Do you have a memory of something you almost did not try but are happy you did? This was the case for my yoga teacher training. I hesitated so much and put it off but I am so grateful I went for it.

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  26. I love this post! “It could very well be that my death arrives after eating a poisonous mushroom that looked cool or cliff jumping from an overly ambitious height in an unknown, remote island. ” made me laugh out loud ahahaahah

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  27. I love your approach to life and living! However at my age, if I haven’t been bungee jumping or some other break-neck adventure, there’s no point in trying now! Some things, yes, but with the fragility of bones and so on, not everything! 😂🤣🤣

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    1. Many thanks, Ashley. Yes, I understand and rightfully so. But this is not just about trying adrenaline-pumping things like? I am sure there are still things you can try. What are you interested in? With me, I really want to learn how to knit. I think it would be super cool.

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      1. Do you crochet? I think it’s intensely more enjoyable than knitting!! The longer I knit, the tighter my stitches get, which F’s up everything. I don’t have that problem with crochet and it’s “fancy stitches” are prettier and easier!! #my2cents

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    2. Same. I crave the wild adventures but am currently physically limited so I try things more along the lines of art… acrylic & watercolor painting, alcohol inks, re-learning to crochet, making a quiche,…

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  28. Love this post!! Where is the first photo from?
    I usually try anything scary for that adrenaline rush. I’m an adrenaline junkie! But I guess mostly I try things to not regret not having done it when I had the opportunity.

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      1. Oh wow! Craziest thing has to be skydiving last year – I want to be a certified skydiver now – the experience was crazy fun. I also really enjoyed doing the sunrise Mt. Batur trek in Bali. While the trek wasn’t too high but the fact that we were all doing it at 3AM when it was pitch dark using torches made it super fun and scary. We actually appreciated the hike only after sunrise when we realized the path we had taken to reach the top. In general life, I think quitting my extremely well paying but blood sucking job earlier this year to pursue my own thing has to be the craziest thing I’ve done.
        How about you?

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        1. Cheering for you to be a certified skydiver. Whereabouts did you skydive? In Dubai? And yes, the trek in Mt. Batur is stunning, not to mention a lot of work. Congratulations on letting go of a job that corrodes your soul. Markus and I did the same thing many years ago, as you know from our About.

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          1. I skydived at Seville, Spain! Hopefully I’ll be able to do it next year. 😊

            Thank you. It was quite scary to do it mainly because I believed that job was the culmination of all my years of hardwork. But now that it’s been a while and I’ve gotten my mental peace back – I feel relieved. Wasn’t it scary for you guys?

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            1. Wishing you all the best. We are also keen on experiencing sky diving. And happy you came to that realization, and have so much respect for you for choosing yourself and your values. Sending you a big hug. For me, it was not scary at all because I was at a point where anything would be better than where I was and that made it incredibly easy. Haha!

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  29. Is “Not trying is the same as failing” true? At least if you fail, you have learned something. If you don’t try, what did you learn? A great post – full of energy and optimism. Enjoy your day!

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    1. Good sentiment, Betty. Thank you for adding it. Failing is truly what we make of it, as is anything in life – we must define it on our own and not simply take on other’s standards. Is there anything you almost did not try but are happy you did?

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      1. There are a number of things I have tried which I was hesitant to do. Some I was glad I tried but wouldn’t do it again. In answer to your question, when I was young and in college, I took a tour of Europe by myself – not knowing anyone. I was afraid to do this, and it did work out great. I like your comment that we must define failure (and I would add success) by our own standards, not just automatically take on others’ standards. Enjoy your day!

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        1. Your solo Euro tour must have been awesome – memories for a lifetime. I agree with your thought on not trying stuff again. Sometimes, once is enough! Now I am thinking along the lines of sampling exotic food just for the fun of it.

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  30. I love love this post! 🤗❤ You are so right about failure. People get so consumed worrying or fearing how they”ll look to themselves or others if they don’t get it perfectly right the first time around so they talk themselves out of trying. It’s a shame. People would amaze themselves if they just tried! It does wonders for your self esteem and confidence when you just try something without worrying if you’ll succeed. And to me just trying equals succeeding. If you get it right hooray! And if you get it wrong, you learned a lesson, and that’s a success in my book too!

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    1. Thank you, Amy. I agree with everything you said. It is a shame if we just let opportunities pass. I feel a lot of trying is about not pressuring ourselves with results. And yes, just having a go is a big accomplishment. Knowing that we have courage to start lifts the spirit, too. Was there anything you almost did not try?

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      1. I almost didn’t start my blog. For the longest time I talked myself out of starting it because I didn’t think anyone would want to read it. But I finally realized that I had nothing to lose by trying it out. And now I am so glad I did because I have gained so much from this experience-including some wonderful blogging friends like you 🙂

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  31. “Not trying is the same as failing” – famous last words before the lion chewed Micah’s head off 😜 Jokes aside, I am one of those that gets too scared to try things. Not adventurous things, more so related to live and finances. What has helped is convincing myself that even the course I choose could be risky~ so just go with what seems more appealing!

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  32. Another excellent post! Fear of failure is our worst enemy. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. Trying new things is what makes life interesting. It’s what I tell my daughters – nothing you try is wasted. If it doesn’t work out, then take the learnings and try something else.

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      1. Yes! I have never been an athlete. After I turned 50, I decided to try curling at the invitation of a friend from work. I wasn’t very good at it but somehow my rink managed to win the championship in our recreational league the first year I curled. So in my 50’s, I got my name on a sports championship trophy for the first time in my life.

        I curled for a couple of years before moving on to other things but I have great memories and met some wonderful people.

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