Learning


When you begin learning something, you frequently learn through discovering what you do not know. 
In learning and competency theory, this is called unconscious incompetence. 
The experience of learning from this state can feel overwhelming, but does not directly conflict with an existing expectation of proficiency. 


As your learning progresses, so does your own expectation around performance. 
Over time your learning becomes more nuanced and often builds off prior context rather than entirely net new things. 
This sets you up for a uniquely challenging type of learning. 


You will still learn net-new things that directly challenge your own expectation of performance. 
While you may embrace, and understand the value of, the learning, there is still a sense of pain present. 
The pain comes from the remembering that you have not, in fact, completely filled the finite capacity of learning on something. 


This is true and inevitable: finite capacity and learning within something are mutually exclusive. 
Next time you are caught by surprise with learning, do not beat yourself up. 
It is inevitable, even though your brain will keep telling you otherwise. 



Bella kaapi,
- Morning Cup