One idea that I’ve heard is that there are two ways to learn things: education and experience (or book learning and doing).

Education is great because it builds your knowledge base from which you can act and change. But there comes a point when more education doesn’t make much of a difference – you won’t become great at driving just by reading road rules and your car’s manual.

Experience, however, teaches you in a different way. By doing something, you become actively engaged. You pick up on things that you might miss when reading paragraphs and paragraphs from a text book.

Many people, however, are scared to try new things. I’m not talking about a new drink from a bar or the latest fashion accessories: I’m talking about life experiences. Experiences which can teach you new things about the world and about yourself.

Have you:

• Been sky diving?
• Given other styles of music a proper listen?
• Shaved your head?
• Learnt to knit?
• Lived in another country?
• Acted in a film?
• Been in a karaoke competition?
• Built a web site?
• Ridden a motorcycle?
• Volunteered?
• Travelled to countries that other people you know don’t normally go to?
• Learnt another language?
• Learnt to draw or paint?
• Built a table?
• Done any welding?
• Eaten non-breakfast food for breakfast?
• Slept on the floor?
• Tried different sports?
• Sold everything you own?
• Tried stand up comedy?
• Created a business?
• Built a wall?
• Driven a bus?
• Kept embarrassing photos up online?
• Had your body used for scientific research?
• Danced in public in broad daylight?

I’m sure you can think of plenty more…

New experiences give you new ideas to draw from and new stories to tell. I couldn’t think of a life more boring than doing the same thing day in day out. And if the “worst” happens and you have a bad experience, you’ve still learnt something.

Like they say, variety is the spice of life.

Try something new.