Learning and the Lizard Brain

It is daunting for adults to learn to do something new.  It may be our Lizard Brains making excuses like: we don't have time, money, friends already doing the activity or that we are not the type of person who does that sort of thing. It is hard to overcome a lifetime of consistency to do anything new.  It is too easy to find reasons not to pursue the topic.  We are too busy, and therefore, too distracted to take time to learn it or do it now, but later on we will totally be able to do it. These are the kind of lies the Lizard Brain lures us into telling ourselves.

This summer, as part of the Arete Academy acceptance letter, we have challenged our students to learn something new.  We will recognize what the Lizard Brain is trying to do and head it off at the pass. Sometimes it is easier to do something because someone said to do it. For some people the challenge in the letter is the person telling them what to do.

I cannot ask my students to learn something new, and not do it myself, which means I must conquer the Lizard Brain too. My new learning is going to be fishing.  Every year I say that I want to learn to fish and every year November rolls around and I say, "Man, I was going to learn to fish this year. I was just too busy. I guess next year is the year I learn it."

I don't have any delusions about being good at it, but learning something and giving myself an opportunity to enjoy being outdoors is worth it.