So. I was having a conversation yesterday with a pal about fixing a bench (a cross lap joint rotted in the legs and broke). She doesn't know any carpentry and I was walking her through the steps on how to remake the legs.

One of the things that got brought up (and has been brought up a lot recently), is how I know how to do a lot of things.

It's true. I'm kind of a jack of all trades, master of a few of them. Want to learn all about making your own <insert thing> from scratch. I might know it.

That's not to toot my own horn. There is a LOT of stuff I don't know. Some stuff I know barely. Some I knew but forgot. But here is the *one* thing that helped me learn all the things I know how to do.

I learned to fuck up a lot and keep doing.

The first beer I brewed? Horrible.
First thing I sewed. Laughable.
First gun I built? Didn't cycle right.
First motorcycle I restored? Became a basket case.
First instrument I built? Neck warped.

In each of these I accepted my failure and started over.

I think one of the worst things former generations did to their kids is heaped huge expectations on them, never letting them fail. Failure is part of the learning process.

Experience is a hell of a teacher. Like, all the things I learnt how to do? Never took a class. Watched YT and read books. Tried to replicate. When it turned out all screwy I went back to step 1 and tried again.

So, folks, if you're learning a new skill, be prepared to fail. Failing is good. Start over. Do it 100 times. Eventually, the suck factor will go down.