Wondering if folk would like to share their stories about trying to improve in a specific area as an adult. Maybe continuing adult education, learning a new language, dieting, training for a 5k…
For me, it is music. I play upright bass and banjo. I play in a string band, a classical quartet, and a weekly jam. I’m no great shakes, but I do practice, try to learn more music theory, and try to improve my technique. And I enjoy working with people who feel similarly.
I’m 61, and music really appeals to me, as it is something I can enjoy doing until the day I die (or lose control of my mind/fingers.)
I’m trying to distinguish such activity from something you just do, with no specific goals or metric for improvement. For example, I enjoy reading, but I’m not trying to be a better reader. Tho perhaps last year when I committed to reading all of Shakespeare might qualify… And I golf, but it has been years since I really worked on my game, trying to improve.
Feel free to interpret my question broadly. Tho if you say something like, “I’m trying to be a better person,” please offer specifics as to what you are doing in that respect.
Or, if you feel you are content - or have enough on your plate - that you just like to engage in your current activities at about the same level, I express no judgement and would appreciate hearing from you.
What percentage of US adults do you think are regularly trying to learn a new skill or improve at an activity they already do?
I recently retired. I’ve always loved music, but never could learn to play an instrument. One of the reasons I became a professional radio personality was my love for the music. If I couldn’t play it myself, at least I could play someone else doing it.
My wife plays guitar, but I have arthritis and my fingers aren’t quite limber enough for that. So, I bought a ukulele. It’s a bit easier than a guitar and do-able with the limitations I have. (I tried learning piano, but it just didn’t light my fire.) I’m having fun learning the uke, and I’m surprised at how seriously this small, enjoyable instrument is taken. And as a bonus, it’s helped improve the flexibility of some of my fingers.
For me, it’s Chinese reading. Despite having lived in Taiwan 11 years before as a kid, I still can barely read anything; I’m at like a elementary-school level. At my mid-30s it’s still an embarrassment to me.
Also music composition; I’m tired of piano and want to compose with orchestral software.
A friend who plays harmonica in several bands gave me a key of C harp 20 years ago. He told me to put it on my dashboard in the car, which I did. That’s how he learned. Well, it’s been in my car(s) ever since but I still can’t play a note.
At 45, I’m trying to get better at most everything I do, from playing bass to lifting weights. I’m the kind of person who’s motivated by measurable, or at least clearly observable, progress. Getting better at things is such a huge rush.
It helps that many of my interests like mastering natural material archery hunting are such vast and deep endeavours that one remains an apprentice for decades and never graduates.
Others are not all that complex, but it’s still cool as duck to know for example that I’m stronger now than I ever was in some exercises, such as dumbbell rows. There’s still plenty of gas in the tank, better use it.
Disclaimer: I am not a US-citizen, but half German and half Spanish.
OK, now that that is out if the way: I am 57 years old. I have learned as an adult French and Italian, I am proficient enough to interpret from both languages at the highest professional level. I am still improving both languages, and English too (this board helps a lot with American English, BTW: thanks to you all!). A never ending task. I love it.
I tried to play the piano and the guitar. Did not work. Sad. Gave up years ago.
I want to improve my drawing. I do comics and cartoons. Yes, I am slowly getting better. I am lazy and easily distracted, but I do it regularly.
I am constantly improving my cooking: more attention, more variety in the recipes, better technique. My wife likes it, she says.
I try to be a better listener. Unfortunately, as an interpreter my professional instinct is to anticipate what people are going to say; as soon as I think I know what is coming, I leap ahead and often interrupt. My wife hates it, and rightly so. I am not improving enough there.
Exactly the same for me. I had six years of French in school and was quite good at it, but that was almost 40 years ago, and not having much opportunity to use it after school, my French had withered a lot before I started a French course on Duolingo about four years ago. I finished the course and had a streak (it’s what Duolingo calls doing your daily lessons consecutively for x days) of over three years and (re-)learned a lot, but about half a year ago I got sick of the routine and stopped. I intended to start reading French news sites, but my French is still not good enough to be able to really follow them with ease and without looking up many words. And the pandemic made me so lazy that I never even tried.
When I turned 50, I joined a men’s chorus, and discovered that I’m a bass.
I’ve begun re-learning French, after not speaking it for over 60 years.
I played violin and viola since childhood, but began teaching myself cello on my 70th birthday. But even after 6 years, I will not subject anyone to my cello playing, except my long-suffering husband.
… which means you’ve got the cartoonist personality down pat!
I assumed I’d find something I wanted to get better at, but that hasn’t happened. Turns out all I’m getting better at is sitting on my porch and posting here.
I did put together “Distanced Doodling” for neighbors, during the first summer of the pandemic. But other than that, I’ve been doodling in sketchbooks (up to a hundred so far). But I’m not sure I’m getting better…
I took up cheese making when I retired. I want to learn how to make an acceptable cheddar cheese. I really want to get good enough at making soft and pressed cheeses to justify getting another set-up to play with moldy cheeses.
Thank you, my cheddar needs all the blessings it can get.
Kraft has ruined a perfectly wonderful cheese by making American so ubiquitous and universally despised. Real American cheese is pretty complex and is the best melty cheese ever. Most folks don’t know how good a real toasted cheese samwich should be.
Personal development: I’m trying to get a better grasp on how I’m perceived in immediate, short-term contexts like conversation. It was never lost on me; I just never gave a fuck. Still don’t, but I think it’s a useful thing to work on.
Cooking and eating: frugality, insofar as reasonably sized servings of good food made from inexpensive ingredients. Also, eating fruit every day. It’s never appealed to me and still requires a bit of effort on my part. Too many benefits to ignore/neglect.
Speaking: making a point with just a few words and a touch of humor, when appropriate.
Writing: avoiding overuse of “but.” It sometimes creeps into my informal correspondence when I’m tired or in a hurry.
Maturity: Trying not to be dog-matic. Yeah, with a hyphen, because I mean impulsively barking at things I don’t like (and I HATE doing that!!!). Seriously, it’s often better to just step aside and dodge the crazy/wrong/stupid bullet. Also, not putting 100% of the blame on others for things that have gone wrong when I chose to go along for the ride.
Good on you! When you move out of your aerie closer towards what passes for civilization in those parts, you’ll find numerous opportunities to share your music w/ others.
My personal tip - don’t sweat aiming at 30-60 minutes. Instead, my wife and I aim at 10 minutes. That guarantees we will at least pick up our instruments every day. You can actually get a lot of benefit from 10 minutes of well intentioned practice. And more often than not, 10 minutes easily stretches into 30+.
Just my personal experience is that, if I tell myself I HAVE to practice at least 30, some days I’ll just say, “I don’t wanna!” But even I am not lazy enough to say I can’t do 10.
Seriously, it’s often better to just step aside and dodge the crazy/wrong/stupid bullet. Also, not putting 100% of the blame on others for things that have gone wrong when I chose to go along for the ride.