Reading Shakespeare is useless if you can’t understand the vocabulary or make sense of the references hidden in the text. Similarly, you won’t get far trying to design a complex structure without first having a decent grasp of static physics.

For each of these situations, as well as many more, there are prerequisites that must be met before we can even begin to learn and grow in new fields. The work of learning the fundamentals, and then gradually expanding on those fundamentals over time, is valuable not only because of the benefit derived from the simple concepts themselves, but also because these fundamentals are necessary to enable more advanced growth.

So when we’re struggling through relatively simple aspects of whatever we’re doing (whether that’s reading, learning, physical activity, etc.), it’s important to remember that the work we’re doing will enable more exciting development if we stick with it.

-Brandon