You will do just fine. Numbers Don’t Kill

Working with numbers seems like a herculean task but you will soon realize that the elephant is in our minds, not in the books. Some of us feel threatened the moment we see a book filled with numbers, graphs, and tables containing records and summations here and there. Sometimes, your brain just shuts down instead of attempting to figure out what is captured in that piece. Whether presented in a textbook, on television screens, in email contents, or documents or wherever the numbers come – most people just begin to feel numb.

Some people would rather take a low-paying job or pursue a less rewarding career simply because they are afraid of dealing with numbers. Career pursuits in investment banking, accounting, finance, data analytics, engineering, and even computer programming are heavily reliant on being numerate, hence no wonder they pay handsomely. Top executives are expected to mostly come from some of these numeracy backgrounds or at least learn the ropes through an MBA program to be able to grab the key challenges that face organizations at various levels.

Does this imply that numbers are difficult to crunch – most definitely not. The people that learn and master it are human beings just like you and I. What makes the difference is that they overcame their fears and faced them head-on. The degree to which we are able to overcome our fears might differ from person to person, but the bottom line is that your fear must give way for learning and mastery to step in.

What must you do to get started with the game of numbers?

1. Study people who have done it: Remember that they are human beings just like you and I. Work up to them and ask frank questions. Be curious to know how they started, the challenges they faced on their way to mastery, and the sacrifices they had to make. Measure the efforts and plan yourself along the same line. If they can do it, under the same or different circumstances, you are most likely able to replicate the same.
   
2. Figure out the parts that seem to be most difficult and avoid them. I advise that you rather start from the basics. Then gradually progress towards the hard part. The mistake most beginners make when trying to enter into a subject is to start from the complicated part. No matter how motivated or excited you are about a subject, you must start by learning the rudimentary. Until you have mastered the simple fundamentals, you should not attempt to take up complex tasks. What will happen if you violate this principle is that you will become confused and might lose your enthusiasm.
   
3. Practice and practice until the new game becomes part of your being. You must practice up to a point that you can barely separate yourself from the numbers and they start coming naturally to you. I have not seen anyone fail after a series of consistent, unbroken, and appropriate practices. You just have to get a proper hang of the numbers in a series of repeated learning and exercises.
   
4. Begin to volunteer wherever you may find numbers-crunching projects be it personal, business, or even not-for-profit; just volunteer to help. Start taking side gigs that will support your growth and help you to master the craft of numbers. You will begin to do just fine, both in the feeling of increased self-worth and also earning better financial rewards.

I have no doubt that success is attainable, you can do it – and you have always done it. Come to think of it, you are just one thought and action away from your better self. You will do just fine.