How do you learn to do something new?

Not by thinking, planning, or strategizing.

Instead, we learn simply by doing the new thing.

We learn by being okay feeling uncomfortable and awkward.

We learn by experimenting and having a beginner’s mindset.

Over the weekend, I was reminded of this.

One of my new endeavors for the year is taking adult ballet classes.

It’s been decades since I studied dance almost daily as a teen.

My mind remembers, but my body needs to re-learn how to do the steps.

Our instructor told the packed classroom at the outset, “the way to learn to dance … is to dance.”

So simple. Yet maybe it’s not the first thought when we start something new.

It could be anything new, whether it’s leading, marketing, designing, or something else.

For those who follow me, you know I’m learning to speak Spanish.

This year I’m also learning more about AI. I’m curious about how to better apply it to my work communicating, coaching, and leading.

One of the cool new LinkedIn tools is “rewrite with AI.” So this post appears in two versions, A and B. What resonates with you in each post and why? Drop a comment and let me know. 👇

This is Version A, written by me.

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This is Version B, rewritten with AI.

How do you learn to do something new? Not by overthinking, but by simply doing. We learn by embracing the discomfort of being a beginner and experimenting with a beginner’s mindset. This weekend, I was reminded of this while taking adult ballet classes. Though it’s been decades since I last danced daily, my instructor reminded us that “the way to learn to dance…is to dance.” It’s a simple concept, yet one we often overlook when starting something new. Whether it’s learning a new language like Spanish or exploring the possibilities of AI, the key is to take action and learn by doing. So what new skill are you looking to tackle this year? Share in the comments below.

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P.S. One of the most fascinating learnings from this “rewrite with AI” experiment? I did it 3 times as I made slight edits to my post, and each time the rewrite was fairly different. Trying to decide what to make of that.