You Can Do It...Or You Can't

More and more, I see people who are afraid to try, afraid to experiment, afraid to touch something as yet unknown.

There's an old saying that goes, "You won't know until you try." And that's so true. Think about it, if people didn't experiment, we'd probably still be living in the dark. We might be chewing gum (the result of a fortunate accident), but we'd still be peeing outside in the dark.

I can do a lot of things. Most of those things, I do mediocrely, but some things I do pretty well. I learn by doing, by experimenting, by testing, by touching. I taught myself guitar. I took piano lessons for a year, then self-taught after that. I can skate, surf, box, and juggle, among other things. All learned from trying.

People who experiment are proven to be the best problem-solvers. I bet you know someone who's afraid of computers. They might be older, and they may be afraid that if they push a button, it's the equivalent of this:

It's not! Go ahead and push those buttons to find out what they do. You most likely won't break anything, so go ahead and just...experiment.

Look, even the bunny isn't afraid! Here he is, examining some code he's just written:

Now,  clearly there're some experiments that aren't ever a good thing to attempt. You shouldn't experiment with obvious danger, like bringing anything into your body that can kill you, or by learning to walk a tightrope by stringing a thread across Niagara Falls and taking that first (and last) step. Putting questionable and potentially flammable things in microwaves is a notoriously terrible idea.

And maybe messing too much with DNA can bring about some horrific consequences, like a spider with enough intelligence to follow you from room to room like a terrifying little brother who constantly bites you.

Or equally awful, but more on the annoying side:

And again, one last example of something no American should EVER try:

Oh. Crap. We already did. Remember, some things you experiment with (but shouldn't) could have lifelong consequences...or at least eight years of awfulness.

But, as for almost everything else, don't be afraid to push buttons. Find out what happens when you push the button on the upper right corner of your remote control. Experiment with features in MS Word, or Apple iMovie. Try out that new mohawk. Pick up a paintbrush and paint. It doesn't have to be good. God knows, my painting is horrible. But, the thing is, I try. I experiment, and I let my curiosity take me where it wants to go without self-imposed limits.

I think gamers have an edge on success, if they take what they learn from their games and apply it to daily life. Although, just one of those buttons on Trump's desk is way too dangerous.

Gamers are expert problem-solvers. They inherently know the game must progress, and so when they encounter an obstacle, the experimentation begins (for those who don't use cheats available online). They try, fail, and try again, not giving up until they've found the weakness in that thirty foot tall ogre, or until they've pressed the right sequence of buttons to call their dragon out of the sky.

If they apply those problem-solving skills to everyday life, they're more likely than not to discover the truth in "where there's a will, there's a way."

They will succeed, and have fun doing it.

Whether you find joy in cooking, video games, hiking, or golf-- experiment. Don't follow the recipe. If it's safe, go off the trail. Don't let golf pros tell you how to swing a club if you hit the ball just fine your way.

So, don't be afraid to try. Be afraid of DNA-altered spiders that can fling it's multitude of babies in your face (that would be the worst). And be afraid of vegetables. But don't be afraid to do things yourself, to push buttons, or let your curiosity guide you.

Still, it doesn't hurt to be just a little cautious...

Oh, and James, remember this post when you see my hair tonight. :)