I use the word experiment quite a bit in coaching.
There is something about that word that takes the pressure down a notch.
If I tell myself I have to make the right decision, suddenly there is a lot riding on it. I start thinking about everything that could go wrong and whether I’ll regret my choice later.
But an experiment is different.
An experiment says: I’m going to try this and pay attention.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about speaking up more at work. You don’t have to suddenly become the person who has something to say in every meeting. Pick one meeting. Prepare one thought or question ahead of time and challenge yourself to contribute it.
Then see what happens.
Maybe you want to meet more people, but walking into a room full of strangers sounds terrible. Don’t decide you have to become a great networker. Attend one event. Introduce yourself to one person.
See what you learn.
This approach matters because we sometimes make a decision about our ability before we’ve given ourselves much evidence.
I’m not good at this.
This isn’t for me.
I can’t do that.
Maybe.
But maybe you simply haven’t had enough opportunities to practice yet.
Experiments give us information. Sometimes they confirm that something isn’t right for us. Other times, they surprise us.
And if it doesn’t go perfectly? That’s information too.
You can adjust and try again.
Think about something you’ve been hesitating to do.
Instead of asking whether you’re ready to commit to the whole thing, ask a smaller question:
What’s one experiment I could try?
You may learn more from taking that small step than you will from another month of thinking about it.