Everything Is Learnable: Mindset, Approach & Execution

Introduction

We often hear people say, "I'm not a numbers person," or "I'm just not creative." These phrases sound harmless but are actually rooted in a fixed mindset that suggests our abilities are set in stone. The truth? Everything is learnable. Whether it’s coding, painting, public speaking, or learning a new language — the potential lies within each of us. The secret isn’t talent; it’s mindset, approach, and execution.

 1. The Mindset: Believing You Can Learn Anything

At the core of all learning is belief. A growth mindset — the idea that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work — is a powerful driver of learning success.

Believing you can learn something is the first hurdle. Neuroscience shows that our brains are adaptable, capable of forming new connections throughout life (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557811/) . This means intelligence and skills aren’t fixed — they’re flexible.

 2. The Approach: How You Learn Matters

Having the right mindset is just the beginning. The next step is to adopt a smart approach to learning:

• Break it Down: Divide big skills into smaller, manageable sub-skills.
• Set Clear Goals: Know what success looks like and define your end outcome.
• Difficult tasks - According to one of the podcasts by Andrew Huberman, picking up difficult tasks for learning can add tremendous value
• The forgetting curve - Then there is forgetting curve, everything you learn at the beginning of the week is forgotten by the end the week if not repeated or memorized
• Practice Deliberately: Focus on the hard parts, not just what you’re already good at.
• Seek Feedback: "If you can't explain what you learnt to a six year old - you have not learnt anything" - Einstein; hence simplify, simplify, simplify

3. The Execution: Putting It into Action

Even the best mindset and approach are nothing without action. Execution bridges the gap between potential and progress:

• Build Routines: Schedule learning into your day like any other important task.
• Be Consistent: Small, daily progress beats occasional spurts of effort.
• Celebrate Wins: Acknowledge milestones, however small, to stay motivated.

Execution is about showing up — especially on the days you don’t feel like it.

Real-Life Inspiration

My real life inspiration comes from a book or rather an autobiography of Richard Feynman - How curiosity can take an individual from working in a farm to MIT and later win a Nobel prize for physics in  1965