By Jeremy Godwin
What are you capable of, and how does learning help to create better mental health? That’s what I’m talking about this week on… Let’s Talk About Mental Health — the weekly podcast about looking after your wellbeing, with simple ideas you can put into practice immediately. So, get comfortable, and Let’s Talk About Mental Health…
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This podcast episode was originally released on 14 August, 2022.
Hello and welcome to Episode 144, and thanks so much for joining me as I talk about capability and mental health!
I’m Jeremy Godwin and I talk about looking after your mental health. I spent most of the 2010’s dealing with severe anxiety and depression, after a breakdown in late 2011, and that led me to want to learn more about my mental health… so I went back to school and studied psychology and sociology, and now I share simple tips for how to improve your mental wellbeing, from someone who actually understands what it’s like to go through mental health challenges. Each episode I look at how to improve one specific aspect of your wellbeing.
In this episode I’ll be talking about what capability is (and what it isn’t), why expanding your capabilities matters, and how to build your capabilities for better mental health.
Before I jump in to this topic, a reminder that my book Let’s Talk About Mental Health (Volume One) is available now so that you can work on improving your mental health at any time of the day or night at your own pace! You can buy it in print from Amazon worldwide or as an eBook from Amazon or Apple Books, and it’s linked in the episode description.
Alright, let’s talk about capability!
Introduction
When I went back to university in 2014, I was so freaked out that I almost didn’t make it through the first semester… but given I had started my study because I realised that I wasn’t able to work at the time, due to the severity of my depression and anxiety, it very quickly became clear to me that I was going to have to push through all of my doubts and fears and find a way to really lean in to all of the uncertainty and challenges that came with going back to study in my late 30’s. I’m glad I did, because four years later I managed to graduate with a degree in psychology and sociology that took a massive amount of effort (intellectually, physically and emotionally), and it’s the thing that started me on the path towards the work I do today.
I’m starting off with this little stroll down memory lane because it’s often not until months or even years later that we can see how challenging ourselves to grow and learn new skills can have an enormous impact not only on our short-term capabilities (in terms of being able to pass the course or do the thing that you’ve been learning to do), but also our longer-term evolution as a person. My study shaped me into a very different person than the one who started that course (and, granted, there were a lot of other events in my life that contributed to that change as well) but the point remains that it was learning that served to shape who I am today.
You don’t need to go back to school or read the encyclopaedia to build your capability; I mean, hey, there’s an entire chunk of YouTube devoted to teaching us how to do random things like install tiles in your bathroom (trust me, I’ve watched about 82 of them — which is dangerous, because I know I’m not great at DIY but I’m getting closer and closer to actually giving it a go, so fingers crossed for me if I do!).
Understanding what you are capable of, and learning new skills to improve your capabilities, is fundamental for growth and it helps you to build a greater sense of achievement by turning your thoughts and ideas into reality — and in a minute I’ll explain why that matters. First, however, let’s talk about…
What is capability?
And the simplest way to define ‘capability’ is as “the power or ability to do something” (which comes from the Oxford Dictionary), although I would change that slightly to say “the power or ability to do or be something.” I do tend to get a little philosophical in this podcast from time to time (I know, what a surprise!) and I think that ‘doing’ and ‘being’ are two different aspects of life that need to be factored into any conversation about capability; ‘doing’ is action-focused, whereas ‘being’ is about the nature or essence of a person… which is very mindset-focused and comes back to a statement I make a lot in this show which is that you can have, do and be basically anything you want in life with time, effort and perseverance.
I mean, there will always be some limitations — I’m very unlikely to suddenly learn how to play a sport at an Olympic level at my age, mainly because I recognise that now I’m in my 40’s my knees hurt for three days after scrubbing the floors (ageing is both a gift and a curse, but that’s a discussion for another day) — but my point is that, practical circumstances aside, you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your life and so if you decide you want to learn how to build a canoe from scratch or do the choreography for your favourite song, I say: have at it! Make it happen! You are more than capable of doing anything you set your mind to.
Let’s also talk about what capability isn’t. It isn’t necessarily something that is just fixed, rigid or inflexible; that is, it’s not like you can never change or grow once you have a particular level of capability. When I was 18 I was in a minor car accident as a passenger and it put me off driving (actually, it completely freaked me out when it came to the idea of driving!) and so I stopped doing the driving lessons I had been doing and eventually just told myself that it wasn’t something I was capable of. Eventually I decided to challenge that narrative I had created for myself, and at 32 I finally got my licence — and without it I would never have been able to move out of the city back in 2015 (because, let me tell you, there is zero public transport in the countryside!). So my point here is that you can always change; it’s just about how open you are to the idea of changing.
The other piece I want to mention is that there’s this general thought process that, for most of us, learning is something that happens earlier in life (at school and then possibly at college or university, depending on your life choices) and that’s just not true! It’s never too late to learn something new, and you can teach an old dog new tricks (it’s just a question of whether or not the individual in question is stubborn and set in their ways, or if they’re open to new thoughts and ideas and willing to change).
And then another thing I want you to think about is that it’s not only about learning new things; you probably already have skills and knowledge locked away in your brain that you haven’t tapped into for a while, and so unlocking what you are already capable of can make a huge difference in how you feel about yourself as well as how you go about your approach to your wellbeing. You may not even be aware of what you’re already capable of, so this about encouraging you to identify your strengths and tap into them.
Thinking about what you’re capable of now and what you want to be capable of in the future — intellectually, physically and emotionally — is part of challenging yourself to grow and evolve, because life is about growing a little each day in order to be constantly working to become the best version of yourself possible (which isn’t a specific destination that you must reach or mountain you have to climb, but instead it’s a state of mind where every day you focus on being a little better than you were the day before).
Why does that matter? Well, that’s a great question and so that leads me to the next part of this topic…
Why expanding your capabilities matters
And it matters because it’s good for your mental health! Being able to go from idea to reality really shows you what you’re capable of, and that can help push you into more of a growth mindset. And there are lots of other benefits as well; to quote an article from Psychology Today, “there [is mounting] evidence that participating in activities that make you think hard and learn new things is good for your brain health. People with such active, engaged lifestyles tend to do better on memory and other cognitive tests than people who are less engaged. Even more encouraging is research showing these same individuals are less likely to develop dementia — such as Alzheimer’s disease — than those with less active lifestyles.”
And that article is linked in the transcript, which you can find on my website letstalkaboutmentalhealth.com.au/episodes in English, Spanish and Italian (find it here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-mild-cognitive-impairment/201408/6-ways-engage-your-brain).
I mentioned before that age is irrelevant when it comes to learning new things and that’s backed up by scientific evidence; to quote 5 Ways to Wellbeing, “The adult brain is capable of rewiring itself well into middle age, incorporating decades of experiences and behaviours… Learning new things can be fun, boost our self-confidence, self-esteem, help us to find meaning and purpose in life, and connect us with others… [and] anything that is different from our usual patterns will help.”
And, again, that’s linked in the transcript (https://5waystowellbeing.org.au/5-ways/keep-learning/). So, in the words of a 21-year-old Kylie Minogue back in 1989, it’s never too late… we’ve still got time!
Here’s the thing I want you to really think about: building on your capabilities (and tapping in to the ones you already have) is less of a question of skill and more about will. Let me explain what I mean by that. Back in my corporate days, when I was a manager we would inevitably have people in our business unit who weren’t performing at the level we needed them to, and so my first question to team leaders when discussing issues relating to members of their team was whether it was a ‘skill’ issue or a ‘will’ issue; before I moved into management I had worked in training for a few years, and I knew that most people could be taught almost any skill with enough time, effort and perseverance (and sometimes with lots of patience, because some people are slower learners), but if the ‘will’ wasn’t there — the motivation to actually want to learn and to do a good job — then it didn’t matter how much effort you put in to helping someone to learn, they were never going to get there if they didn’t want to.
Your mindset and attitude play a huge role in what you choose to do or not do in life, so really take the time to think about your attitude towards learning new things as well as how you feel about your existing capabilities. For example, if you’re plagued with self doubt or a lack of motivation then those things are going to make it a bit tougher to be focused on growth and so you probably need to do some work on addressing those issues first (and I talked about how to deal with self doubt in Episode 104 and also motivation in Episode 117). Ideally you want to be in a positive and open state of mind so that you’re free from distractions and open to exploring your capabilities and your opportunities for growth (and I covered distractions in Episode 69 and opportunity in Episode 119).
So with all of that in mind, let’s move onto the how-to part of this topic and let’s talk about…
How to build your capabilities for better mental health
OK, start by asking yourself what you’re already good at — and I have two reasons for beginning with this tip: first, it’s about recognising where you’re at today before you start thinking about where you want to head in the future (and so that requires a fair bit of honest self-assessment), and second, it’s about starting with a positive; if you jump straight into a focus on stuff that you might not be great at or that you feel like you need to learn, that can set off a chain of negative thoughts and frankly I think this whole conversation about learning and growth is a positive one, so let’s keep it positive! Consider what long-forgotten skills and experience you have and then how you might be able to use them. For example, I mentioned that I used to do training (and I kept on facilitating some content for a couple of years after I moved into management, running our Emerging Leaders program which I loved) and so even though it’s been about 14 or 15 years since I last delivered a training session, I still have those skills and that knowledge floating around somewhere in my brain (along with a lot of lyrics from obscure pop songs released in the 90’s!). Being able to reflect on that experience helps me to be more self aware and it helps me to think about how I might potentially be able to tap into the capability I already have rather than having to learn new things from scratch. So, take some time to sit down and reflect on your own experiences throughout your life — professional, personal, educational — and make a list of different skills you’ve developed over time. I’ve covered a couple of topics in the past that might be helpful here: reflection back in Episode 12, and self awareness in Episode 62… plus self awareness happens to be the first chapter of my book, Let’s Talk About Mental Health (Volume One), which is out now (and the content in it is revised and expanded from the podcast), so you’ll find a link in the episode description if you’d like to buy it or you can head to my website at letstalkaboutmentalhealth.com.au. OK, my next point is…
Think about your development opportunities — and this is the flip-side of the point I just made, which is to now think about those aspects of your skills and knowledge where you might need to or want to put in some work to grow; that could be related to professional skills, personal skills, your education, even as broad as your behaviour or mindset (or both) since they play such a huge role in your mental health and wellbeing. In short, what I’m suggesting here is to think about what you want to or need to improve in. Now, one big word of warning here: this is not an opportunity to sit there and beat yourself up for not being perfect or for having things that you need to improve, because guess what? Everybody has things they need to improve on… it’s just that some people don’t admit it! I’ve said in past episodes that perfectionism doesn’t create perfection because perfection doesn’t exist (and I covered that subject in Episode 98, by the way), but we do need to be honest with ourselves about our opportunities for development (and you’ll notice that I am not using the word ‘weakness’ because I don’t believe in weaknesses; any disadvantage or issue can be overcome or managed with the right attitude and inspired action). So, create a list for yourself of the things you would like to work on (or need to work on; for example, you might need specific skills to pursue your career goals) and then that list is going to help you as you take the next steps forward (and I’ll come back to that list in a minute). First, however, I want you to consider my next point which is…
Think about your needs and wants — because that will help to guide you as you consider where you might turn your attention to in terms of building your capability. This is a fairly broad suggestion, and I will say that I covered needs in Episode 137 so you might find that helpful, but here are some general prompt questions to get you started: what do you need to achieve? That could be in terms of your professional needs or personal needs. What do you want to achieve? Because often our wants are different to our needs (since they’re more about our desires and aspirations), and I think it’s important to tackle our needs but there should be some stuff that you want to learn as well, simply for the fact that it creates more excitement and interest if it’s something you’re enthusiastic about; we all need a little spice in life! And then I’d also suggest you take a step back from those questions and consider what is the balance of the two; in other words, how can you find balance between building capabilities that support your needs as well as ones that support your wants. For example, you might be doing some study to support a specific work skill or qualification, but consider how you can balance that with something that’s fun and just for you (because that can help to keep you motivated, especially when it’s Friday night and you have to stay in so you can write a three thousand word essay on a topic that’s boring as hell!). OK, next…
Ask yourself: what do you enjoy? — and this is about taking that ‘wants’ thing one step further and considering the stuff that brings you joy and satisfaction, because if you feel that positively about something then I think you should do more of it! Look, we all have to do mundane things from time to time (I had to sort my tax out the other week which was three hours of mind-numbing boredom, mainly because I kept putting it off — but it’s done now!) and so even if we have to put our heads down and push through to get the things done that need to be done, we can also make sure that we’re thinking critically about what actually brings us enjoyment and fulfilment so that we can do more of that and less of the stuff we don’t enjoy. For example, a while back I realised that I didn’t enjoy the process of editing the audio for this podcast and so I found someone who’s good at it to take care of it for me, which then frees me up to focus on the things I do enjoy… because life is too short to waste it on things that do your head in! I’ve covered a few relevant topics in the past like joy in Episode 93, satisfaction in Episode 110 and fulfilment in Episode 114, so check those out for more tips. OK, next…
Make a learning plan (and then make it happen) — because now you need to do something with the list you created earlier! But this is also about actually considering the specifics of what you’ll do to learn and build your capabilities; you can come up with all the ideas you like of what you need to and want to learn in order to build on your existing capabilities, but a plan is nothing without the action to follow it up… and to do that, you need to make it a priority. If it matters to you, make it matter! Set clear intentions around what you will focus on, make a plan, break it down into the smallest possible steps and then see it through, one step at a time. I covered planning in Episode 113 and intentions in Episode 143, as well as priorities back in Episode 3, so you’ll find those will help you to do that. OK, next…
Choose to push through doubt and fear — because when you try new things and get out of your comfort zone, fear will happen… do it anyway. Don’t let doubts and fears hold you back from learning new things in order to build your capability, because learning is what will help you to grow and evolve. And don’t worry if you don’t know everything now; you don’t need to have all the answers, you just need to know where to find them (and looking for them is half the fun!). Seek and you will find… don’t give up! That’s where having things broken down into small steps can also really help, because it feels less daunting than trying to do it all at once (and I covered self doubt in Episode 104 and fear back in Episode 10). Alright, next…
Focus on the positive — because your mindset is everything; in the words of Henry Ford, whether you believe you can do a thing or believe you can’t, you are right. I talked about ‘will’ versus ‘skill’ earlier, and I genuinely believe that with the right will, you can learn basically any skill. I covered mindset in Episode 31 and positivity in Episode 90, and both of those will be helpful so you can approach this whole capability-building thing with an open mind and an open heart, so check those out if you haven’t already. Next…
Mix things up — because variety is the spice of life, and it’s a simple way to challenge yourself to learn new skills or try new things. Take a different route to or from work once a week. Go to a different supermarket. Try a new café or restaurant. Navigate somewhere without your GPS. Learn the lyrics to the obscure B-sides from the Spice Girls’ back catalogue. Read, watch or listen to something educational on a topic you’re interested in, or even something you’d never thought of before (this is how I’ve found quite a few YouTubers whose content I absolutely love). Do a short course. Do a long course. Consciously use some of the time you usually devote to social media to reading or watching something informative (even a few minutes a day is better than nothing!). There are many different ways to learn in life; you don’t necessarily have to go back to school to do it (and you’re doing it every week you tune into this podcast!). There are lots of options available, so I encourage you to not only look for opportunities to mix things up but to also consciously make learning part of each day (or at least every week); this comes back to my earlier point about prioritising your learning so you can build your capabilities little by little. OK, next…
Pursue your hobbies and interests (or find new ones) — because these are things that can bring us even more joy, and it’s nice to have something that you’re passionate about. Travel, read, knit, learn interpretive dance, paint, write, re-enact the movie Spice World frame by frame in stop motion using little figurines of the Spice Girls (no I haven’t done that, but now I’m tempted…!). Hobbies make life interesting and there are thousands, probably even millions, of different things you can try out, all of which will push you out of your comfort zone. And do you know what happens when you leave your comfort zone? You grow. And growth helps us to see our potential, and it shows us that no situation or circumstance is permanent, and so even if you’re not having the best time of it today, or in general, trying new things and pursuing your interests helps you to keep on building your capabilities so that you can grow a little each and every day.
Summary and Close-Out
Because when it comes to capabilities and mental health, what it all boils down to is this: When we learn, we grow. It’s as simple as that. And if we’re not learning then we’re not growing, which can lead us to feel stuck in mundane routines and unable to see a way out of our current situation. I think the best way to sum it all up is by remembering that no matter where you are today, and no matter what your current capabilities are, you are filled with infinite potential and there are infinite possibilities that you can explore… it’s all just a matter of what you choose to do with your time and attention. And, while you’re at it, remember that variety really is the spice of life… so, choose to shake things up as often as possible!
The choice is yours, as it is with all things related to your wellbeing… so, what choice will YOU make today?
Each week I like to finish up by sharing a quote about the week’s topic, and I encourage you to take a few moments to really reflect on it and consider what it means to you. This week’s quote is by the inventor Thomas Edison, and it is:
“If we did all the things we are capable of doing we would truly astound ourselves.”
Thomas Edison
Alright… that’s nearly it for this week.
Next week I’ll be talking about impatience. What are you waiting for? If you’re anything like me, you’re probably not waiting because you’re a bit impatient (or if you are waiting, you’re probably ready to explode!). I’ve talked about patience before (back in Episode 64) and now I want to talk about the flip-side of that, which is learning how to manage impatience. This is a topic that is very near and dear to me, because I am prone to being impatient, so I’m going to be learning some new ways to manage my own impatience and sharing them with all of you. I’ve been wanting to cover this topic so much that I could hardly wait, but it felt like there were other topics I needed to cover first and that was a bit frustrating… which might give you some idea of the level of impatience I’m dealing with in my head! It’s a chaotic place and it’s nice to be able to let some of it out here! So, next time I’ll talk about what impatience is, why understanding it matters, and how to manage impatience in a healthy way.
I hope you’ll join me for that episode, which will be released on Sunday the 21st of August, 2022.
In the meantime, you’ll find more content about better mental health in my book, Let’s Talk About Mental Health (Volume One); you can buy it now in print or eBook from Amazon or buy the eBook from Apple Books and it’s linked in the episode description, or visit my website at letstalkaboutmentalhealth.com.au.
Watch my weekly videos on YouTube for more tips on better mental health, plus sign up to my mailing list for my free weekly newsletter, Thursday Thoughts, where I share a quick dose of inspiration (and those are all linked in the episode description).
And if you find my content helpful then I’d love it if you joined me on Patreon where I offer exclusive benefits for my supporters. Plus you can find me on Instagram @ltamentalhealth and say hi!
Thank you very much for joining me today — look after yourself and make a conscious effort to share positivity and kindness in the world, because you get back what you put out. Take care and talk to you next time!
Jeremy 🙂
Let’s Talk About Mental Health is an independent program proudly produced by Reconnaissance Media, helping you find gratitude and meaning. For more information visit reconnaissancemedia.com
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Let’s Talk About Mental Health.
Simple ideas for better mental health.
Let’s Talk About Mental Health. © 2022 Jeremy Godwin.
The information provided in this episode is for general awareness on the topic and does not constitute advice. You should consult a doctor and/or a mental health professional if you are struggling with your mental health and wellbeing. You’ll find additional information on the Resources page of this website.
