365QOD-Day272

"If you are not stretching then you are dying"- Unknown

Decently I read an article on the 99% website about the work by Joshua Foer.

His work deals with determining what makes people an expert.  The article mentions four principles which I will discuss in next four posts.


Principle 1 Experts tend to operate outside their comfort zone and study themselves failing.

To me, working outside of my comfort zone is a daily activity.  My last few jobs placed me in positions for which I was not prepared at all.  I had to enter a job where I was familiar with some aspects but I had to work hard to learn new subjects.

For example, I have a background as an Electrical Engineer(I spent 12 years in the power industry) but in my last job I worked on instrumentation projects.  Instrumentation and power are related BUT yet completely different. 

My boss gave me a choice if I wanted to continue doing power(easy and comfortable choice) or develop my instrumentation side(difficult and time consuming).  I jumped at the opportunity to work outside my comfort zone.  So I fully understand the first part of Principle 1.

The second piece of the principle is very interesting to me.  How does one study themselves failing?  Well, when you do projects, like I have, you fail at times.  You are learning but the information is not complete and you make the best call you can.  Just because you had a failure, you must study and understand the failure AND yourself.  It is you who failed.  I would review my past mistakes and always ask myself.... if I had to do this project over again, what would I do completely differently? Often times the answer was very clear. 

I also think that when attempting something new it is easier to study yourself failing.  The opportunity is there and success is not guaranteed.  You must pull yourself outside of your body and observe yourself attempting this new challenge.  It is strange to be the doer and observer.. Give it a try!  Look for your thinking process, your body position, your thoughts(beliefs of success or failure).

In my new job I am working on large capital projects.  I previously did small capital projects. I am streeeeeaaaaaaaatching!

Today's question is:

"What have you learned by studying yourself failing?"