In a recent interview, I was asked to detail an experience in my life that shaped and empowered me. There were many that formed my early thinking but one really stood out as an “empowering” situation, and really gets at how I move about in the world— then and now, still.
I was learning to drive a car in the 80s when stick shifts were still a regular feature on most cars. Learning the rules of the road, signs, traffic patterns, speed variations, varying surfaces, vehicular weight and dimension, etc. is in and of itself a lot of information for a newbie to process. Compound that with the novelty of a stick shift & clutch, and you’ve added a layer of complexity that takes time to master.
I was put right on the road in regular traffic with hills and of course, I didn’t master it immediately. Heck, I never even got to drive our family’s riding lawn mower, so I kind’ve bombed. My parental units declared me incapable of driving a stick and decided that I’d be better off with the automatic (a van). I used the old van for about 2 years and was ready for a new car— one that didn’t leak oil or cost so much to operate in gas.
So, I drove to the local car dealership and told the salesman, “I want to trade in that vehicle /poins to van\ for that car /points to new blue compact car\.” He asks if I want to take the little blue car for a spin and I say, “Nope, I just want to buy it.” He takes me into the sales office and we sign all the papers and exchange money. I push the signed papers towards him and say, “Now you’re going to teach me how to drive a stick shift.”
At this point, the guy goggles at me as if I’ve got 3 heads and says, “You just bought a car with a stick and don’t know how to drive it?”
And I say, “Yeah. And you’re going to teach me how to drive it.”
He hands me my keys and we go out to the lot and he starts very patiently explaining how to operate a stick shift. We drive around an empty lot a few times and I get the hang of it within 5-10 minutes. We say goodbye and thanks, and I drive off in my shiny new blue compact.
What did the experience teach me? I learned that I can leap into doing new things knowing that I’ll land on my feet. Without planning everything in advance. Without having to consult anyone to know if it’s the right thing for me to do. Knowing that the right teacher will be there when I’m ready. Knowing that I can trust my instincts. Knowing that I can learn on the fly and it’ll be okay.
Many years later, I took on a 100-page comic book commission and hadn’t yet learned Photoshop or had any kind of drawing tablet. A friend gave me an hour-long crash course in the basics of PS and then I was on my own. By the time I finished the comic book, I was really proficient in the program.
I find that this is my typical M.O. A few years ago, when I acquired a ceramics kiln from another friend, I had to learn its operation quickly, so I read as many books as I could about firing —and then I studied glaze chemistry which enabled me to make my own glazes. I put this ‘leap’ strategy to good use when the kiln died; I had to strip out the kiln’s old coils, switches, and wires and rebuild it. Just jump and figure it out.
Leap and grow.
If you couldn't fail, what is it you'd do with your work? Your life?
If you were willing to feel difficult emotions-- fear, doubt, embarrassment--what would you do to stretch your capabilities and break out of your safe zone?
Sometimes all you can do is leap and trust that it’ll work out.