5 Reasons You Should Try New Things

I tried something new today!  

I recorded and submitted audition videos for the Elvis-themed jazz band concert at the University of Mobile on April 2.  (Buy tickets here! It will be a great show whether I make it or not!)

At the Jazz Band concert last semester I said to myself “That looks like a lot of fun. I should audition for the next one!”

Instead of talking myself out of it, which I almost did two or three or 30 times, I decided it was time to try a new thing!

Here are five reasons why YOU should try something new, too!

1. Variety is the spice of life. 

Trying new things keeps life interesting!  

Read a new genre of fiction.  Take a different route to school.  Listen to a new style of music.  Try a new food.  

Maybe you hate all of the new things you try, but at least you tried, and that in and of itself gives you an interesting story to share, but it’s also possible that….

2. You might find something you enjoy.   

When you try that new food, new music, new book, new workout, new whatever, you may find something that you really enjoy!  

I never would have thought that I would enjoy Zumba until I tried it with a friend.  I thought I hated mushrooms until a friend sautéed them for me.  I never would have thought that I would enjoy role-playing games (RPGs) with dice and character creation and monsters, but I do!  

You never know what you might find to make your life more enjoyable, but even more than that…

3. You may discover something that you are really good at.

It’s very possible that there is something out there that you could do really well if you just gave it a try.  It’s silly to think that you already know everything you are good at.  

You may be really good at teaching 4-year olds about music.  You might excel at Excel and creating spreadsheets.  Maybe you have a hidden knack for marketing.  

You won’t know unless you try new things.  But be warned, when you try new things…

4. You will fail...a lot.

Wait a minute, you say.  I thought this post was 5 reasons why I should try new things.  Failing sounds like a reason not to try. 

Failure is something we’ve been trained to avoid, but the more we fail, the easier it gets to pick ourselves up and try again. 

When you fail at something, you can quit or you can learn from it and keep going.

I may not be selected to perform in the Jazz Band concert.  I could take that as a sign to quit trying, or I could look forward to auditioning next semester and figure out what I could do better next time. 

Failure is an excellent teacher if we will take the time to learn from it, but the best reason to try new things is that…

5. You will experience life.

In the role-playing game that I play, you gain experience points (XP) for what you do in the game.  Whether you succeed or fail, you gain XP because you have experienced something.  Defeat the enemy. Gain XP.  Get your tail handed to you and run away to fight another day. Gain XP.

Do you feel like your life is too busy for new experiences?  Be intentional about approaching day-to-day tasks in a new way. 

Have a picnic dinner on the floor or outside instead of at the table.  It doesn’t take much more time, but you’re creating an experience.

If your instrument is portable, go play outside, in the woods, at the beach, downtown, somewhere that will create an experience.

Be intentional about the experiences you create for yourself and the people around you. 

What are you going to try first?! 

I’d love to hear what new thing you’re going to try first! 

Comment on this post or send me an email at gtlockhart2010@gmail.com.

You can watch my audition videos, too, if you'd like!