Jeff Wang Blog

A rookie mistake to make when you start learning a new skill is setting any sort of expectations for yourself.

It’s called learning, meaning 1) you are not a master…yet

and new, meaning 2) you’ve never done this before!

There is no way you can possibly expect any specific result…because you are trying something new

Any predetermined expectations are just assumptions that may or may not be correct, but you can’t hold yourself to them. So don’t feel sad when you fail to meet your unjustified expectations to be great at something you should be an amateur at–at least in the beginning!

You can only raise the bar higher after you find out where the bar is in the first place

If you tested Albert Einstein on his ability to ski downhill for the first time, you’d most likely not see anything spectacular. Ask him to discuss math, and you’ll find out that is where his genius lies.

We are all rookies in many areas.

But don’t forget: we are also pretty professional at some things too.

Good Luck.

Side note: I’ve done 3 sessions of Muay Thai this past week, and I now have an open wound about the size of my thumbnail on my right foot from all the pad work/kicking. I definitely need to let it heal, because I re-opened it again today, and man was it awkward when the blood started coming out. I am glad though that the Muay Thai sessions aren’t particularly difficult for me in terms of physical stress, it is more so the fact that 1) I don’t know the combos very well yet, and 2) my foot has a cut.

Need to take a break and heal before I go back. Listen to your body first!

Grateful Day 55: I am grateful for alone time. Everyone in my Singapore cohort went to Jakarta this weekend. Lucky for me that my introversion gets some much-needed space.

Magic Day 24: Magic at the MMA gym again today. Little kids are hilarious !!!

They did a session before the adults’ session started, and instead of finishing their class with cardio+core & ab workouts, they finish by playing a game of tag with a soccer ball.