I used to be the prototypical young mathphobe: I flunked or barely passed any math course I was forced to orbit. For me, graduating from high school was thrilling in that I would never have to touch a math or science book again. Math not only didn’t make sense but was also worthless and painfully frustrating; the same went for technology.
How to Get Excited About Topics That Bore You
The ability to develop new skills – and new passions — is particularly important in today’s fast-paced business climate. But what if you don’t like the subject matter you need to learn? Rest assured that it is possible to learn to like — and even love — subject areas that seem boring, or that you once loathed. The first step in building passion for a subject you don’t like is to identify a reason to learn it. One of the best motivators is making an improvement in your life. Wanting a lifestyle upgrade allows you to make a mental contrast between where you are now (say, an office assistant) and where you want to be (perhaps a certified public accountant). Know that it’s perfectly normal to not understand new subject material on your first try. It takes time and practice for your brain to develop new neural patterns, which are “chunks” of learning. The bigger your collection of solidly constructed neural chunks related to solving different problems, the better your expertise. And the better your expertise, the more you will like what you’re learning.