#69: Tom Vanderbilt — Author of “Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning”

Is it possible to learn anything?

Maybe, but only if you’re really young, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” as the saying goes, right?

As an author, speaker, and academic for institutions such as NYU, the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and the Design Trust for Public Space, Tom Vanderbilt wanted to understand why so many adults simply stop trying to learn new things.

Vanderbilt was inspired by a simple question from his daughter to get to the bottom of why so many adults stop learning new skills. Well into his forties, he committed an entire year of his trying, failing, learning, and being coached on five new skills he’d never attempted in his life.

He compiled his adventures and takeaways into his book Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning, where he found as much joy in the process of learning these skills, as he did at attaining a level of skill with them: something he believes every person can and should achieve.

In a time when jobs are changing rapidly, it’s critical that we give our workforce, regardless of age, the tools, resources, and support to be able to upskill themselves so they can meet the challenges of the near future. People like Tom Vanderbilt, give us some insight, as to how we can do that.

This is another episode you’re definitely not going to want to miss, so with that…let’s bring it in!