chess : childlike humility
I started learning chess recently. I’m terrible at it, and that’s kind of the point.
I tend to gravitate towards things I’m already good at. It’s comfortable. But it also means I avoid the feeling of being a complete beginner — which is exactly the feeling I think I need more of.
Looking back, this is the same thing that stopped me playing poker with friends at uni. I didn’t want to sit at the table and lose. So I just… didn’t play. Which meant I missed out on the games, the banter, all of it. Stupid in hindsight.
Chess is my way of fixing that. Being bad at something and doing it anyway. Losing games and not letting it stop me from playing the next one.