Patience is definitely a necessity when learning new skills in life.
Our learning abilities are affected by certain things such as fear, natural talents, and even bad habits.
In my own life, for example, I found soaping to be rather simple. I did not learn to make soap the “chemistry” way, I learned it by trial and error. I used no special tools or calculators to develop formulas. Learning soap required patience, with no frustration involved.
I am self-taught in goats, by studying everything I could get my hands on. I do believe any animal keeper encounters new and frustrating situations, raising animals is not an exact science. Nature involves living things.
I am learning how to ride a motorcycle. It is difficult for me. I am learning in baby steps. Each hour of learning varies. One hour feels like I move forward, the next feels like a step backwards. But when I sit back and think about what progress I am making I realize that even the failures are not exactly that. Being able to recognize where I make mistakes, where I go wrong, is progress in itself.
Making natural perfume falls into the learning curve as well. Loving fragrance does not mean that I can whip up a concoction that smells like something a person would enjoy wearing on their skin. Patience is required with perfuming because the end result, a matured blend that fails or passes, isn’t ready for many weeks. I purchased natural perfume samples from others, thinking I was way off-base with my own creations, something I hesitate doing – comparing my work to others. I did not like the samples. It nearly prompted me to quit. I didn’t, I decided to give it more time.
I have my moments, we all do. We can easily say, “I quit, I give up. I was not meant to do this!” But where would that get us? Would we stop chasing (and accomplishing) our dreams if we did not work at them? Myself, I could easily say, “I will make soap and focus on nothing else, because I know how to make it!” Who said, however, good things come without work, without disappointment from time to time?
Instead, in humble honesty, shouldn’t we admit to ourselves and others, our efforts will take time? More often than not, the end result takes more time to accomplish than what we first thought it would. Can you think of many pursuits where time and patience were not worth the effort?
Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. – Proverbs 12:24
Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps 
You are definitely right on, Mary!
We learn from our mistakes. Not only not to do that again, but sometimes a better way to do something. Or maybe it leads to a different thing altogether that we can use later.
The main thing is to hang in there and trust your instincts.
I like the clarity you put that into, Becky. “Trust your instincts” is perfect. Patience when looking for a better way to do something.
This is so true.Sometimes though, the failure seems to be big enough that quitting is the only option, yet I have found that if I love what I am attempting it is well worth persisting and usually am thankful for the mistakes in the end. As you said, we learn a lot from the mistakes too. Building character in us may also be considered a positive!
We do learn from mistakes. And perhaps that in itself is a big part of building character. It also teaches us how to continue learning.
I love your ponderings. Riding or driving a motorcycle? Fantastic! Rick’s always the driver; I’m the rider. I love it! Remember than Abe Lincoln was self-taught, and look what he did! I’ve always been an advocate of self-education. Go, girl!
I just love this post and it is what I needed to hear at this time of my life! Thank you!
Hi there! I am glad it was a meaningful post for you. I find it so inspiring when someone else talks or writes about something that touches home with me. Glad it did for you.