Jack is three. He’s learning to ride a bike.

Watching him, I’m struck by something: he doesn’t question whether he can do it. He just tries, falls, gets up, tries again. No self-doubt. No impostor syndrome. No “maybe I’m not a bike-riding person.”

He’s just… learning.

When Did I Forget This?

As adults, we complicate learning. We:

Kids don’t do any of that. They just struggle, repeatedly, until they don’t.

The Struggle IS The Process

I used to think struggling meant I was doing something wrong. Like if I had to work hard at something, I must not be “naturally good” at it.

Watching Jack, I see that’s backwards. The struggle is how you get good.

He falls off the bike. That’s not failure. That’s data. He adjusts and tries again.

What I’m Relearning

1. Start before you’re ready

Jack didn’t “prepare” to ride a bike. He just got on and started wobbling. I need to do more of this with code, writing, projects.

2. Expect to be bad at first

He’s terrible at biking right now. That’s fine. He’ll be better tomorrow. I forget this constantly.

3. Consistency beats intensity

He practices for 15 minutes most days. Not marathon sessions. Not cramming. Just regular, repeated attempts.

4. Let go of looking cool

He falls in front of neighbors, friends, everyone. Doesn’t care. I care way too much about looking competent. It slows me down.

The Meta-Learning

The real lesson: I can relearn how to learn.

I don’t have to approach new skills with adult baggage. I can:

I’m 35. I have decades left to get good at new things. I just need to remember how 3-year-old me would have done it.

Update: He’s riding without training wheels now. Took about 3 weeks of regular practice. He’s so proud. I’m taking notes.