What’s so beautiful about the Beginners mindset?

I cultivate a beginner's mindset as often as possible. By that, I mean I focus on the start of learning something new and, when possible, learning the new thing from someone who is already well practiced, if not a near pro at that thing. Why would I do this? Well, it can be fun, for one thing, but it's also eye-opening if I let it be.

Let me elaborate.

Each time I start a new class, which I love to do. The group's passion, questions, comments, and experiences are so rich and expansive. The unknown and yet soon-to-be-discovered motivators of each attendee excite me - the sheer amount of individuality fills me with wonder and continually reminds me how remarkable people are. I can summarize that by saying each class fills me with awe.

When I approach the class with certainty that I have no idea what the goals, needs, learning preferences, and even temperament of each person will be, I'm then ready to accept them as they come. This is important in both learning and teaching - as it's a two-way process. I cannot teach and not also learn at the same time. However, since I teach the same things over and over, I am at high risk of cutting corners or getting caught in the trap of 'the curse of knowledge' where I forget what people do not yet know and might begin to make assumptions about what they know and then as such, cut those corners.

I don't want to be that kind of teacher. I don't want to be on 'auto-pilot' when I am engaged in teaching. This means, however, that I must seek and embrace the beginner's mindset on repeat.

How each person will acquire, integrate, and implement what they learn is unique - even if there might be some hallmarks of similarities. The reality is:

The learning process is an uneven road.

While we all start somewhere, it isn't a guarantee my class will be the first introduction to the topic. In this case, the topic is likely babywearing education and consultation. I need to get to know each person, listen, watch, and always embrace what they bring.

They need to want to learn what I'm sharing and engage with the material; however, as the guide, it's on me to entice them enough to do so. Yet, no two people are the same, and I must remain flexible in my approach to connecting with each person. And I need to stay curious about how I succeed and why I might fail.

Sometimes, I can feel resistance to an idea or a technique, and then, for whatever reason, the resistance fades away and is replaced by excitement and enthusiasm.

When I witness this transformation, I pause and reflect on its entirety. What did I do? Did I help—or hurt—the learning process? What else happened in the class (and life) during this time? And consider if it was helpful—or maybe the surrounding events hindered the learning and fed the resistance.

I don't do this introspection only so I may change something for the next time, but instead to bring greater awareness to how multiple inputs, such as people, context, energy, questions, etc., can impact how a person experiences the material and hence the class. My goal is to deepen my situational understanding of how multiple factors can impact the current moment and then what—if anything—I can do at the moment. All so I can be more prepared to support someone in the future.

My point is that learning is a process.

I like to think of the teaching/learning process as a road we’ll travel together for a while. Sometimes, we’ll sit, talk, and share; other times, we'll rest. We might need to go back a bit and revisit something or someplace. Eventually, at some point, it'll be clear we're ready to move on down the road. Maybe I don't walk side by side the entire time. But I'll leave directions for what’s ahead and what might be fun to explore or try when they reach a specific place. I'll also let them know where to find me if they need me or want to sit and connect as they travel. There is so much possibility!

But what about you and this beginner's mindset stuff?

Have you been in a beginner's space recently? Have you decided to learn something new that might challenge you? Something that isn’t necessarily easy each step along the way? It doesn't need to be a big commitment, of course; it could be something as simple as a new cooking technique, dance move, or game. What if you learn it from a friend or loved one versus a pro? What is different if you do learn from a pro? How does your motivation impact your learning process?

What does it feel like to learn a new skill?

• How does it feel to get frustrated sometimes? And when you finally ‘get it,’ what does that feel like?
• What moved you past that frustration? What drained you and made you pause or consider stopping?
• What did your teacher do that helped or hindered your learning situation?

Be as specific as you can, you know, dig into the nitty-gritty of the process and your feelings. I think it's vital that you do this often and with things that challenge you in new ways.

Why do I ask you to do this?

It all boils down to who you serve. When you're working with a new client or customer, they’re likely in a beginner's mindset. Tapping into your experience as a beginner will help you get out of rote repetition and instead lean into this person’s process. It can make the moment more transparent and help you see and support them as they navigate the uneven road. After all, learning is created by the individual—not given by the teacher—the teacher is only a guide.

I like to ask myself: What am I assuming this person knows or understands?

I'm sharing here because of a recent experience I had as I learned to fly Model Aeronautics (no worries if you don't know what that is; I didn't either, but I promise Google can help if you're curious).

Initially, my teacher and I were not just on different roads but in different countries and speaking different languages. Those first few hours together taught me so much - about myself as a learner and teacher. To say I was frustrated is an enormous understatement, lol. But in the end, I learned more than simply how to take off and turn the plane…even if I didn't learn to land it. I did learn a whole new way to stand with a learner. I opened my mind and discovered something to explore in my teaching.

In what way can you put yourself into a beginner's mindset?

Mindset is also a big topic in our CBWS Babywearing Business Development Offering. New groups are starting soon—connect with other babywearing consultants and professionals from related fields to move your business forward. Read more on our Babywearing Development page.