Some Days, I Feel So Dumb - And Why That's a Good Sign

Sep 28

2 min read

Illustration of a woman climbing a staircase of books toward a growing green sprout

Some days, I feel so dumb. There, I said it.

Running Sustainability 101 means I spend my days teaching ESG, climate risk and sustainability to hundreds of professionals. And still, life keeps handing me moments where I feel like a complete beginner. This is a small, honest list of those moments - and what they have taught me.

The moments that make me feel dumb

When I went to German class.
When I go for car driving lessons.
When I try to study for any exam.
When I cook something and wonder if adding more water to rice will break the laws of physics.
When I see my friends traveling to the US, UK and Europe and surviving - and I can't even figure out how to apply.
When I go to the gym and people talk about diet plans while I'm just trying to survive the treadmill.
When I go to swimming or badminton class and don't even know which box to start from.

Illustration of a puzzled woman at a laptop surrounded by icons of the new skills she is learning: driving, fitness, cooking, German and travel

What I've come to believe

But maybe... feeling dumb is just proof that I'm learning.

Feeling dumb is just proof that I'm learning. Uncomfortable means I'm trying. And trying matters.

Every educator, consultant and founder I admire has been through this exact phase - the awkward first class, the failed first attempt, the day nothing works. The only difference between them and the people who quit is that they stayed in the room a little longer.

So if you are in your "I feel dumb" phase right now - with a new course, a new job, or a new skill - you are not behind. You are exactly where learning happens.