QUOTE TO PONDER

According to the experts:

  "Confused? Don’t worry because that can be a good thing

Confusion is a common aspect of our lives but it can be useful and perhaps even necessary, particularly when we are trying to learn something.

Confusion is typically experienced when we are confronted with new information. It is particularly likely to happen when the information we encounter is complex, counter-intuitive or unlike anything we’ve experienced before.

When this happens it can be difficult to reconcile the new incoming information with what we already know.

First, being confused about complex concepts and phenomena can mean we are investing enough mental effort into trying to understand. Not finding novel, complex ideas confusing at first can be a sign of overconfidence which has been reliably shown to be detrimental to learning. 

Second, it is critical to see struggle and confusion as an important part of the learning process. When encountering new, complex ideas, it is useful to find them challenging and confusing, so long as the confusion does not persist too long.

The struggle associated with overcoming confusion helps us to find better strategies for understanding the world.

So the next time you feel confused when trying to learning something new, take comfort in knowing that it might mean you are on the right track... "