Driving and Work Lessons 101

Three weeks after starting my new job, plus a driving lesson (another one coming up tomorrow), I’m still breathing. Yes, I’m surviving my return to work and my first taste of driving.

And, I’m learning more than I realise.

And, lesson #1 is: Do Something Difficult. It’ll make you feel like you can do more.

Well, at least that’s how I felt like after my driving instructor took me to a couple of major roads during my first ever lesson. Yes, even though I didn’t even know how to pull out of a kerb — or even after I made a few major mistakes (like trying to get in to the passenger side when I knew I’d be driving) — he tried to build my confidence by letting me do what I was supposed to learn. It was terrifying and definitely way out of my comfort zone.

I thought I’d mostly get basic driving instruction on my first day - like driving around quiet blocks, stopping, turning left and right, etc. Definitely NOT driving through busy roads and dual carriageways — or doing three-point turns.

But, the good thing about what my instructor did was that he basically taught me that if I can drive like that on my first day, I can definitely drive much better once I’ve completed my log book instruction. Or simply, that I can drive.

It’s similar in my work place. I’ve been slowly getting in to case work and such. And, it can get a bit overwhelming. But sometimes, the best way to get into the swing of things is just to do things.

What about you? Is there something that you’ve been meaning to learn or to do for some time now? What is keeping you from learning/doing it? What’s the most difficult thing that you’re learning/doing right now?