What's Your Latest Discovery?

How to become one of today's lucky 10,000.

Hello everyone!

In the 4+ years I've been on Substack, I'd never used its Chat function to run a discussion. But that changed a few weeks ago - and the responses were amazing:

(I know some of you would prefer to just stick to email, and I won’t ever make it a requirement that you use Chat - but the thread is here and still open for replies, if you’re interested.)

So here’s the same question for you today:

What was your last discovery?

The word "discovery" comes with a lot of pressure these days. Is it really possible to discover anything new, unless you're working at the absolute cutting edge of your chosen field? With that in mind, is it egotistical to even use the word? Oh rly, you "discovered" something, did you? Good luck getting over yourself!!! And so on.

But - you know who are amazing discovery machines?

Babies.

And young kids!

(Do they feel self-conscious shame at excitedly telling everyone about something that they suspect everyone else already knows? Not in the least. That shame is learned.)

And how about people who are just about to discover the amazing power of putting Mentos mints into Diet Coke, which is the subject of my favourite xkcd cartoon?

Here you can see how much better it works with Diet Coke as opposed to other types of soda!

There is immense joy in personal discovery - the act of finding something out *for yourself* for the first time, and feeling an immense sense of 'wow!' right down to your suddenly-wiggling toes.

I reckon adults should be able to put aside our shame and our foolish ideas around ‘looking cool’ (often meaning ‘looking cynically, joylessly unimpressed by everything’) and the tedious self-sabotage of comparing our insides to the external appearances of strangers…just so we can let ourselves enjoy the process of discovery just as much as kids do.

Here’s a veteran journalist’s take on it, courtesy of Sketchplanations:

(Sketchplanations is itself a brilliantly realised & highly popular project powered by personal discovery - go read the essay accompanying the sketch if you want proof of this.)

So today, I’m asking you:

What's the last thing you discovered for the first time?

Go tell everyone in the comments below, and maybe you can help them become one of today’s lucky 10,000.

Thank you!

- Mike