Summary: <a href="http://www.gayleallen.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Blog-Post-Erika-Andersen.png" rel="attachment wp-att-3170"></a>Want to succeed in work and life? Be bad first. <br> Do not confuse this with the familiar call to fail fast (so often heard in the startup world in recent years). This is a longer game. It is about getting comfortable with being novices and of committing to learning new, hard skills that take years to acquire. In a world of rapid-fire change, constant connection, and lots of choices, it is a necessary goal.<br> <a href="http://erikaandersen.com/">Erika Andersen</a>, wants to teach us how to do just that. Erika is the Founder of <a href="http://www.proteus-international.com/">Proteus,</a> author of three books on leadership, and a <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/#4ef127931125">Forbes contributor</a>. She shares concrete tips and great examples in her latest book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Be-Bad-First-Things-Future/dp/1629561088">Be Bad First: Get Good at Things Fast to Stay Ready for the Future. </a><br> Insights from our interview: <br> <br> The key skill for success in the 21st century<br> Why being bad first is not about failing fast or failing forward<br> How open are we to learning new ideas? Less open than we say.<br> How we hate being bad at things but love getting good at things<br> How our desire for mastery can work in our favor with new challenges<br> How hard are you clinging to the skills you have? How is that working for you?<br> Four mental skills crucial for learning<br> How Michelangelo successfully navigated being bad first<br> The role innovation plays in getting ourselves to learn new things<br> How to put our self talk to work for us rather than against us<br> How we cannot get the help we need if we do not know our gaps<br> How to revise and reframe our negative self talk<br> What does healthy curiosity look like in adulthood?<br> Confused about curiosity? Watch a 3-year-old!<br> Get curious by unleashing your drive to understand<br> Value the expertise of others enough to ask them questions<br> Expected to be expert in your field? Beware of asking these questions.<br> Want to reclaim your innate curiosity? Start with your hobbies!<br> Anti-curiosity strongly connected to negative self talk<br> Risk-free way to practice being bad first? Write with your non-dominant hand.<br> It is impossible to be good at something you have never done – remember that<br> Learning something new? Find your bridge – the part you know something about.<br> Three things we need to believe in order to change our behavior.<br> When leaders model new behaviors, change goes faster in their orgs<br> Every year, pick something new to be bad at.<br> <br> Selected Links to Topics Mentioned<br> <a href="https://twitter.com/erikaandersen?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@ErikaAndersen</a><br> <a href="http://erikaandersen.com/">Erika Andersen</a><br> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rookie-Smarts-Learning-Beats-Knowing/dp/006232263X">Rookie Smarts by Liz Wiseman</a><br> <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/">Duolingo</a><br> If you enjoy the podcast, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Steindl-Rast">please rate and review it on iTunes.</a> For automatic delivery of new episodes, be sure to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-minds-innovation-inspiration/id1049183266?mt=2">subscribe</a>. As always, thanks for listening!<br> Thank you to Emmy-award-winning Creative Director <a href="https://vimeo.com/vanidavae">Vanida Vae</a> for designing the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-minds-innovation-inspiration/id1049183266?mt=2">Curious Minds</a> logo, and thank you to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robmancabelli">Rob Mancabelli</a> for all of his production expertise!<br> <a href="http://www.gayleallen.net">www.gayleallen.</a>
