Being a Noob

Paul Graham’s essay Being a Noob reframes the discomfort of being a beginner as a sign of growth rather than incompetence.

The Paradox

“The more of a noob you are locally, the less of a noob you are globally.”

Venturing into unfamiliar territory—new countries, fields, or ideas—makes you feel incompetent locally but expands your knowledge overall.

Two Sources of Novice Feelings

The discomfort stems from two distinct causes:

1. Actual stupidity
2. Attempting something novel

Our brains struggle to distinguish between them.

Evolutionary Mismatch

Humans evolved an aversion to feeling incompetent because stability characterized hunter-gatherer life. That instinct made sense historically but now works against us in our rapidly changing world.

Graham compares this to hunger—in times of scarcity, disliking hunger was adaptive; now it leads us astray. Similarly, our reluctance toward feeling like a novice hinders learning.

The Conclusion

Despite social ridicule and discomfort, embracing the sensation of being a beginner is ultimately beneficial for personal growth and knowledge acquisition.

My Takeaway

If you’re not regularly feeling like a noob, you’re probably not learning enough. The discomfort is the signal that you’re expanding.

When did you last feel like a complete beginner? I’d love to hear at persdre@gmail.com.