Give Yourself Permission to Be New

Growth doesn't always come from doing more of what you're already good at. Sometimes it comes from being willing to be new again. Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor challenges the way most people approach goals and asks a simple but powerful question. What are you doing in 2026 that is actually new? We spend so much time trying to optimize, refine, and improve the things we already do that we forget the energy that comes from starting something completely different. For Baylor, that new thing is learning piano, a goal he has talked about for years but finally decided to act on. He walks through what it feels like to be a beginner again. Learning chords, scales, sheet music, and coordinating both hands at once. It is uncomfortable. It is overwhelming. And at the same time, it is energizing and joyful. Baylor explains why being new at something gives you permission to struggle without judgment. Unlike your career or responsibilities where performance matters, new pursuits allow you to be bad with intention. That intentional struggle creates rapid growth, momentum, and confidence that spills into other areas of life. He also emphasizes the importance of benchmarks. Not rigid goals, but clear markers that help you measure progress. Without benchmarks, people feel stuck even when they are improving. With them, growth becomes visible and motivating. The episode closes with a reminder that foundations matter. Whether you are learning piano or revisiting an area of your life you already know well, real growth comes from focusing on fundamentals. Mastery is built, not rushed. This is a call to stop postponing the things you have always wanted to try. Pick something new. Give yourself permission to be bad at it. Commit to the basics. And let that growth re-energize your life. What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why trying something new creates momentum across your life • The importance of giving yourself permission to be a beginner • How benchmarks prevent discouragement and burnout • Why fundamentals matter more than talent • How being bad at something can accelerate growth • The difference between improvement and transformation Featured Quote "Sometimes the fastest way to grow isn't getting better at what you do. It's being willing to start over at something new." Pick one new thing for 2026. Embrace the awkwardness. Build the foundation. The growth will follow.