Shoshin & Snowboarding

This past week, I had the pleasure of taking my first snowboarding lesson, or more accurately, the pain.

You see, I’ve been skiing since age 6, and I fancy myself more of a skiing person (skiing is superior, fight me).

But I love trying new things, and during my family trip to Park City, Utah, I decided to try snowboarding.

As you can imagine, it wasn’t my best showing.

Every few feet, I’d either faceplant or somehow, wind up on my back. I felt awkward and clumsy. My instructor’s tips made no sense (my hips don’t move in that direction). And after the first few hours, I knew it would take more than one lesson to be snowboarding on the big boy runs.

But I loved every second.

While being a beginner at something new sucks, it’s a great reminder that no matter what we’ve learned and done up to this point — there’s always something new to learn.

“As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance,” was how the physicist John Wheeler put it.

The Zen Concept of ‘Shoshin’

There is a concept in Zen Buddhism known as Shoshin, which means “the beginner’s mind.” Shoshin refers to the idea of letting go of your preconceptions and being open to learning something new.

At the start, our minds are empty and open. We’re willing to learn and consider all the pieces of information, like a child discovering something for the first time. As we develop knowledge and expertise, we begin to think we know everything and close our minds. This is a dangerous attitude.

As the investor and writer Morgan Housel wrote, “There are two types of people: Those who want to know more and those who want to defend what they already know.”

The moment we think we know everything is the moment we stop learning. Instead of being open to new perspectives — we block ourselves to new ways of thinking and only cherry-pick the information that confirms our existing beliefs.

Regain the beginner’s mind

Here are a few ways to regain your beginner’s mind and embrace the concept of Shoshin:

Always say less than necessary. Most people, when meeting someone new, feel the need to display how much they know. So they spend a lot of time talking and little time listening. Instead, challenge yourself to see how little you can talk. Step back and observe. Ask questions. Listen intently. When you speak less, you learn more.

Pick up a book on a topic you know little about. Most people avoid books that are difficult to read. And that makes sense. It’s uncomfortable. But that uncomfortable feeling is exactly what helps you learn more. As investor and entrepreneur Naval Ravikant said, “When you’re reading a book and you’re confused, that confusion is similar to the pain you get in the gym when you’re working out.” Except you’re building mental muscles instead of physical ones.

Put yourself in rooms where you’re the least knowledgeable. There’s a saying in basketball: if you’re the best player in the gym, you’re in the wrong gym. The same can be said for the craft you’re pursuing. If you want to continue growing, it’s better to be a small fish in a big pond than a big fish in a small pond.

Actively seek out feedback. The wisest people I know are always seeking feedback. “How’d I do? How was that? What can I do better?” They know mastery isn’t a destination; It’s a never-ending process. Amateurs ignore feedback. Intermediates accept feedback. Masters seek and implement feedback.

See you next Sunday,

Jay “Always Stay A Student” Yang

PS — The views are absolutely incredible! 😌

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