The Benefits of Being a Beginner

Being a beginner at a new skill can be challenging but rewarding. When journalist Tom Vanderbilt decided to learn how to play chess, he hired a coach to teach him and his four-year-old daughter. While his daughter quickly excelled due to her open and receptive brain, Vanderbilt struggled to break through his existing knowledge and muscle memory. Despite this, he found being a beginner to be an exciting and invigorating experience, prompting him to embark on a journey to learn a variety of new skills.