Do Something For The First Time

Published February 13, 2012 37 Comments
Categories: Philosophy

Think of some of your peak life experiences. Think back to when you were the happiest, the most excited, or totally engaged in what you were doing. I’m going to take a guess that a good number of those experiences were when you were doing something for the first time.

Also think back to when you were happiest in your career. Most people I’ve talked to say that it was when they were new to a role or when they took on a new project. Most people (especially top performers) find themselves at their best when they are constantly being stretched and learning something new.

I’ve recently started saying yes more often in my life, especially if it involves doing something for the first time. Just last week I went to my first Zumba class, my first Tai Chi class, my first NBA game, and my first Where’s Waldo Bar Crawl (and yes that’s clearly a woman’s shirt from Old Navy). Some of these experiences were awesome, some weren’t. But I would have never known any better unless I tried.

There’s one thing that you will never hear me say and that is: “I’m bored.” I’m constantly struggling to fit everything that I want to into each day. There is so much out there in the world to learn, see, and experience.

To get you started, here are some possible areas where you could brainstorm for ideas to try something new:

Learning
Health/Fitness
Love/Relationships
Friends
Food
Travel
Family
Career/Business
Environment
Money/Finances
Art/Writing
Music/Dance
Movement/Play

They don’t have to be huge firsts either. Don’t immediately think that you have to go skydiving, start a business, or backpack across Europe. Little firsts like learning a new dance, trying Nutella for the first time, or making your significant other a new recipe are still pretty awesome and something to be celebrated.

So when’s the last time you did something for the first time? If it’s been a while, start integrating more firsts in your life. You’ll be surprised at how quickly this will compound into a life full of fearlessness, engagement, excitement and joy.