Don't apologize for being "stupid"

Three of my clients today were digital beginners. Each of these three clients apologized for being "stupid." They explained that computers are new to them and they aren't smart enough to learn.

As a teacher and computer guy, I kind of get tired of hearing this. Keep in mind that this comes from a guy who had, "potential for higher achievement," on almost every report card he ever received.

It wasn't until I started teaching that I realized how much of a barrier our own attitude truly makes in how well we learn. I have clients who are 86 who are teaching their kids how to send email attachments. Then again, I have 45-year-old clients who tell me that they are too old to learn this stuff.

While each of my clients today felt stupid, I reminded them of how far they had come by reviewing old notes. One of them laughed as I took her back into her notes where I had written how to print a document.

Learning a computer is not like riding a bike or learning to sky dive. Those things are the same every time as long as you follow a few rules. Using a computer is to riding a bike as flying the space shuttle is to roller skating.

Computers are complex, but if you have patience and a good attitude, you will learn. Fear of the machine will cause more frustrations than any real problems you incur along the way. 

• ‹ previous
• 870 of 1431
• next ›