There’s a saying I say, “Before someone knew or did, they didn’t.” It may sound very Yogi Berra-ish however, the principle still stands. Before Einstein knew physics he didn’t, before Michael Jordan could play ball he couldn’t, before you could speak, or write, or jump, or walk you couldn’t. It’s a very simple yet profound principle. Before they did, they didn’t.
I remember in grade school we were given a problem to solve. A golf ball was in a hole that was too deep and too narrow for one to put a hand in and get it. How do you get it out? Trying to figure it out I thought of getting two sticks and rolling the ball up the side. To me that made perfect sense. That, however, was not the answer the teacher was looking for. The answer was to pour salt water in the hole and as salt water is denser the ball would float (which some kids got). At the time I didn’t know that salt water could do that. It was two weeks later while watching one of my favorite shows 3-2-1 Contact did I learn about the salt water trick. Initially I felt a little dumb. I have always taken pride in my ability to reason and figure things out, even as a kid. Looking back on it I realize I simply didn’t know – but now I do.
When I talk about the things I do realize that at some point I didn’t do these things. It wasn’t until I was 30 that I started running and swing dancing. Julia Child didn’t start cooking until she was well in her 30s. Before 1969 no one walked on the moon. I even worked with a 60+ year old grandmother who was going to school for a computer technology degree. Yet, before they did, they didn’t.
When it comes to getting to your passions you have to start somewhere, so what better place to start than where you are at. Start researching, start asking, start learning, start finding, just start. There is no better reward than finding and pursuing your passions, but you will never know until you try.
Attempt it. Chance it. Try it. Get to It!