Believe In Your Ability To Figure Things Out

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You Must Believe This To Learn Anything Valuable

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Today, we’re diving into a topic that is crucial for anyone looking to achieve their big dreams: the belief in your ability to “figure things out.”

Maybe you wanna create a podcast, write a book, or build a business. Go figure, three things I’m always working on. 

But perhaps you want to make some of your own clothing, start public speaking more, or meet the love of your life. 

Whatever the heck it is, it all requires learning. 
And learning in the right sequence. 

What do I mean by sequence? 
You don’t want to learn too early, you don’t want to learn too late (obviously). 
You want to learn “just in time”. (Haha, that’s a nickname my Grandpa used to call me. “Just-In-Time”)

Anyhow, the ability to learn like this is built on an important belief.

The mindset that “Everything is figure-outable”.

Do you believe in your ability to “figure things out”? 

If you don’t, then you simply can not learn ahead of time. You can't learn in the moment for your future. And certainly, you won’t take action toward that ideal future either. 

Most learning should be proactive, but this proactive type of deep learning is tied to self-esteem. When your self esteem is low, you will have trouble creating a vision. 
You might be able to daydream mindlessly, but you won’t be able to choose the actual aim and keep that moon in the window, so that you land amongst the stars.

Maybe deep down, you know you want to achieve something greater.

But you aren’t able to clearly see your vision.

Even if you have the vision, you don’t know what missions, or action steps to take, because the ability to learn skills and strategy require that you believe in yourself.

I’m Figuring Out How To Draw For My Book

I’ll give you a perfect personal example. 

Drawing was something I loved to do as a kid. And even as an adult, for like the last twenty years, I’ve always wanted to get better at drawing. 

But unless it was purely for enjoyment, or hobby, then sinking time into that skill would have been a huge waste of time. 
Same goes for guitar, dance, and basket-weaving.

But, fast forward to today and I am working on my first fully published book.

I know my core audience appreciates books that have visuals. So I am definitely going to have some doodles in my book. 

Now, I could outsource these. I could hire someone to create engaging graphics that summarize my writing. 

I’m certainly a big fan of paying for services (figuring out the “who” not “how” of any project so to speak). 

But in this case, it would be way less scalable and less convenient. I have to explain which writing ideas to turn visual, and trust that the style will vibe with the book. More important to me, whenever I’m struck with a creative, visual idea, I won’t be able to make it. There would end up being a timeline of deliverables for the visuals. But what if I think of a great one a month later? Finally, I am the creator of the book. I have zero problem with collaboration, or relinquishing some control. In fact, I have an author coach, I’m trying to get someone to work on the cover art together, and of course, I will have editors.

But as far as the visual ideas throughout, I see them a lot more like the writing itself. 

I want to be the one completing the writing, the designs, and the overall messages in the book. 

Learning To Explain Ideas Visually

So, I knew heading into this first book draft that I wanted to take a course on drawing simple images to explain ideas. 

I enrolled in Janis Ozolins' course called “Explain Ideas Visually.” I’m learning how to visualize ideas to turn my writing into simple, powerful graphics while brushing up on my drawing skills. 

It’s been something I know I want to add to my list of skills, but if I took the course any earlier, it would have been a waste of time against other priorities in life. But in this season, as I have a clearer picture of what the book will be, as I get my ideas organized, it’s time to learn about explaining ideas visually in a more simple way. If I waited longer, that could have been a problem too. 

As I organize the book into chapters and start removing material, I want to have the visuals completed. So this part had to happen now.

NOW, I know you’re in one of three spots. 

You might have a solid idea of your vision, the actions you should take, and what learning you need to get there. 
But you might also be sitting there thinking, "I have no idea what my big dream goal is," or maybe you know that vision, but you have no idea what to learn to get you there. 

In all of these cases, a reminder on how to improve self-esteem can help.

How to improve self-esteem? 

The trickiest thing I tell everyone is: FIND YOUR GO-TO PERSON. 
There is at least one person who believes in you, who supports you and you need to be able to lean into them when times get tough.

Marie Forleo has a book on this exact topic called “Everything Is Figureoutable” and here are a few things that she says you can do too.

Belief in Yourself:

Forleo emphasizes that the foundation of achieving anything starts with the belief that you can figure things out. This mindset shift is crucial as it transforms challenges and obstacles into opportunities for growth and learning.

Take Action:

She advocates for taking consistent, small steps towards your goals. Action is a key component because it helps overcome fear and inertia, moving you closer to your desired outcomes even when the path isn’t entirely clear.

Reframe Problems as Opportunities:

Forleo encourages readers to reframe their problems. Instead of seeing a problem as a dead end, view it as a puzzle to be solved. This positive outlook can make daunting challenges feel more manageable and less intimidating.

Progress Over Perfection:

Embrace the concept of progress over perfection. Forleo highlights that striving for perfection can be paralyzing, and it’s more important to make progress, learn from mistakes, and continually improve.

Resourcefulness:

She stresses the importance of being resourceful and creative in finding solutions. This means leveraging all available resources, including seeking help from others, using technology, and being innovative in your approach.

Persistence and Resilience:

Persistence and resilience are key themes in the book. Forleo shares stories and techniques on how to stay motivated and resilient in the face of setbacks and failures, reinforcing the idea that persistence pays off.

Train Your Brain:

Forleo talks about the importance of training your brain to be solution-oriented. This involves positive self-talk, visualization, and other mental practices that prepare you to face challenges with a proactive attitude.

Celebrate Small Wins

Forleo emphasizes the importance of recognizing and celebrating small achievements along the way. Acknowledging your progress, no matter how minor it may seem, can boost your confidence and self-esteem. By focusing on these incremental successes, you build a positive self-image and reinforce the belief that you are capable of achieving your larger goals.

**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. 

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