Because of school, we have learned how to get good grades. Not that I had good grades, but that’s a different story. We have learned to do exactly has we are told. The better we do it, the better our grades are. It’s that simple. However, I don’t think it’s the best (and most fun way) to learn.

The more I think about it, the more I understand why we are so focussed on passing exams. Exams are very clear and straight forward. We know exactly what our goal is. We know exactly what to do to pass the goal. We know exactly what the mission is: to get a diploma.

We have learned that if we keep on reading the same thing over and over, that we will understand what we have learned. In my opinion, that is where we make the biggest mistake.

Learn by doing is key

In practice, we can do things out without theory. However, theory without practice is just a bunch of concepts on paper. If you combine both theory and practice, you will be ahead of a whole lot of people. So, the secret lies in practice. Practice makes perfect, right?

The key is to learn by doing. If you do, you learn to fail. Sometimes epic fails, sometimes failing miserably. Nine out of ten times, things will never work out as you have in your head. I used to hide behind the perfect excuse for not to start, or not to give it my best: perfectionism.

After I have tried to work on many ideas, I realised that it actually is not perfectionism I’m scared about. I’m actually scared to fail. Again, by practicing, doing things over and over again until I can do it with my eyes closed, I have noticed that there’s nothing to be scared about.

Some people are more bluffers. They say they can fix something, but they will figure things out along the way. I don’t have that level of self confidence. Personally, I first like to learn things on my own until I’m confident that I won’t f*ck up someone else’s plan. Then, I proceed.

You have to figure out what works best for you. But the bottom line is, you will have to do something. And starting with something you’re curious about is just the easiest and most fun way to do it.

What are you curious about?

Did I already mention that we live in the best time to be alive? Almost all the knowledge in the world is already freely available on the internet. You just have to know where to search.

Below is a list of things I am curious about. Topics I can spend all day searching for more info on the internet. I have summarised some of the resources I have used (or am still using) to upgrade my knowledge and skills.

• Get Obsessed
• Cooking
• Writing / Story Telling
• Filmmaking
• Do It Yourself Projects
• Marketing
• Psychology
• Entrepreneurship

Get Obsessed

Get obsessed, but not too much. You have to remember to make time for quality time. And when you have quality time, all your attention should go to that moment. Now, let’s talk about obsession.

Who hasn’t felt the undeniable need to do something that keeps them awake all night? Going on an exciting holiday you have been fantasizing about for months? I bet you had a rough night of sleep the day before departure. Are you getting married? I bet your head will take you to all sorts of places. Not that I can tell from my own marriage experiences. However, I can share with you some of my obsessions.

At University, I spent more time thinking about what I was going to eat later that night than actually paying attention to what I should be learning. Maybe that was a sign that I wasn’t in the right place, at the right time. Anyhow, cooking (or having tasty food) was one of my obsessions. I eventually turned my hobby into a real paid job. So, let’s start there.

p.s. remember: practice makes perfect. Start with something easy and do it over and over again (best daily) to master the skill. Automatically, you will improve yourself without trying too hard.

Cooking

My roommates were lousy cooks. I loved to have good food. I just started with “Knorr” packages and always tried the cooking tip. Then, I realised it was very easy to replace the ingredients in the packages with fresh spices and herbs. After cooking shows became popular, I was practically unstoppable.

Writing / Story Telling

Stories make us superior to any other animal. We are natural-born storytellers. However, most of us don’t know how to tell a good story. At least, I’m not a naturally gifted storyteller. I do really like stories tho. I can bury myself in movies and series and get totally sucked into a story. After watching a movie, I almost always go to Google to figure out all the details I’ve missed about the story. Yes, I can be obsessed…

Filmmaking

I am fascinated and inspired by Anthony Bourdain’s travel shows. I am mostly motivated by Casey Neistat’s videos. Both of them make filmmaking and storytelling seem very accessible. And like anything that is a craft, it’s always takes way more practice than it looks like from the outside.

Here are some resources that helped me started with filmmaking and are helping me to improve my production value.

Do It Yourself Projects

I have a bachelors degree in Architecture and am a Master in Real Estate Management. The reason I wanted to become an Architect was my dream to build my own house. I quickly found out that my design skills are not up to competition with the talents at my University. It didn’t limit my enthusiasm for building my own things.

Make a list of things that you need to repair / want to build. Start with something very small. Something you can do for sure. And try to do that one thing in the best way possible. Don’t cut corners. Just do a good job. Make yourself and your mother proud.

Marketing

Will be updated soon.

Psychology

Will be updated soon.

Entrepreneurship

You can’t learn entrepreneurship from a book. You can learn how to be an entrepreneur though. You’ve guessed it. You have to try. Probably you have to keep on trying. And learn something in between, so you won’t make the same mistake over and over again. In that sense, you are already an entrepreneur. Then it’s time to share your work.

Although you can’t learn entrepreneurship from a book doesn’t mean you can’t use theory to help you along your entrepreneurship journey. Here are some sources you can start with:

I can’t tell you where to start. I can’t tell you what to do. For everyone, the interest, knowledge, and skill level is different. You just have to start somewhere and many doors will open up for you.

I will continue with practical tips on how to turn your ideas into reality and create something that will make your mother proud: Get Creative.