Reflecting on Assumptions and Failures
I want to ask that today you think of ways in which you might be more comfortable with being confused and pushing through that confusion rather than giving up on a task.
I hate being confused. It feels awful and it incites me to panic, but I feel great when I push through.
My parents have trouble navigating Amazon Prime Video on their TV. My mother always gets frustrated and often throws her hands up in defeat. I understand that impulse. Even after years of experimenting with how to navigate it, I still feel that impulse.
However, it’s so crucial to my curiosity and joy that I keep going. Asking myself not just, “Why?” but also, “What?” Clearly defining a situation gives me peace of mind and the courage to continue. Plainly stating what I’ve done and my available resources defines my next steps.
“I can’t add shows to my Watchlist!”
Okay. That’s really frustrating. What buttons have I pressed on the remote? In the UI? Have I checked all available pages and modals? Yes? Well, time to go to Google. What OS am I using? What device? What shows am I trying to add?
Challenging my assumptions is important to nurturing a curious nature and, to me, curiosity is crucial to finding joy. In order to know when to actually give up, I have to know when not to. Every success, big or small, demands some failure at some point.
From navigating Amazon Prime Video to navigating life.
