Habits Quote by Frank Sheed
““Bernard Shaw phrased the experience very admirably: “When we learn something, it feels at first as if we have lost something.” It is so, for instance, with a new stroke at tennis. Our old stroke had been a pretty incompetent affair, of the sort to make a professional laugh. But it had been ours, we were used to it, all our muscles were in the habit of it. The new stroke is doubtless better, but we are not in the way of it, we cannot do anything with it, and all the joy goes out of tennis—but only until we have mastered the new way. Then, quite suddenly, we find that the whole game is a new experience.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Learning New Skills, 1950
Learning replaces old habits with better ones, causing temporary loss of joy until mastery.
In simple terms: New skills feel lossful at first.
Key Takeaway
Persist through early discomfort.
Themes
learning
habit change
mastery
Mood
encouraging
reflective
Type
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Sports training
- musical practice
- language learning
Key Concepts
Neuroscience
skill acquisition
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you stay motivated?
- What strategies ease transition?
A Different Perspective
Initial frustration can discourage continuation.
