The Beginner’s Mind

An extra mid-week newsletter on the simplicity of thinking like a beginner

A pair of climbing shoes and some chalk is all you need. Photo: Yns Plt, Unsplash.

The beginner’s mind is an essential part of the fewer better things philosophy. There is beautiful simplicity in not having to pretend to know something when you don’t.

Part of my social initiative, that I wrote about in last Sunday’s newsletter, is to crack the code to getting to know new people and making new friends. It’s an essential life skill and paramount to our long term wellbeing.

And these two goes together. It’s only when you can be completely honest and transparent with yourself and the world, that the world will see you for who you are.

I sure didn’t grow up that way, as we always had to pretend and keep our masks on. But thankfully the world has changed and we can now be ourselves unapologetically.

Yesterday I took the introductory class to bouldering at my climbing gym. I’ve never before scaled a wall and know nothing about climbing.

This surprised the coach as these days I’m looking like a real dirtbag, tanned and scrappy, in baggy corduroys, worn t-shirt, and beanie, fitting the old school stereotype, looking like I’ve slept in my car (laughter).

But no, man, I said with a smile, I’ve never bouldered, belayed, or climbed anything vertical. I’m a beginner, I know nothing, zip, nada.