Never Be Afraid to Start Over: You Are Starting With Experience
Have you ever felt scared to start something new? Maybe you had to switch schools, try a different sport, or move to a new place. It can feel like you’re starting from nothing, but that’s not true! When you start over, you are not starting from scratch—you are starting with experience.
Why Starting Over Can Be Scary
Change can be hard. People often feel nervous about trying something new because they don’t know what will happen (Dweck, 2006). It’s normal to feel afraid of failure, but mistakes are part of learning. Even when things don’t go as planned, you still gain knowledge and skills that help you in the future.
Experience Helps You Grow
When you start over, you already know things you didn’t know before. Maybe you learned what works and what doesn’t. Psychologists say that learning from past experiences helps people grow and get better at solving problems (Bandura, 1977). Every time you try again, you bring more wisdom with you.
For example, imagine you’re learning to ride a bike. The first time you try, you might fall. But after a few tries, you figure out how to balance. If you stop and start again later, you’re not truly starting over—you’re using what you already learned.
Famous People Who Started Over
Many successful people had to start over. Walt Disney’s first company failed, but he used what he learned to create Disney (Thomas, 1991). Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first TV job, but she kept going and became one of the most famous talk show hosts (Krohn, 2010). These people didn’t give up. They learned from their experiences and tried again.
How to Be Brave When Starting Over
If you ever feel nervous about a new beginning, remember these tips:
- Think of what you have learned. Every challenge teaches you something useful.
- Believe in yourself. Your experience makes you stronger.
- See mistakes as lessons. They are stepping stones to success.
- Take small steps. You don’t have to do everything at once.
Conclusion
Starting over is not a bad thing—it’s a chance to use what you’ve learned. Every experience makes you smarter, stronger, and better prepared. So, don’t be afraid to try again. You are not starting from nothing; you are starting with experience!
References
- Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
- Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House.
- Krohn, K. (2010). Oprah Winfrey: A Twentieth-Century Life. New York: Viking.
- Thomas, B. (1991). Walt Disney: An American Original. New York: Disney Editions.