Powerful Student's Stories #8 - How I (Accidentally) Distracted Someone Into Learning Again

People love the idea of pursuing their goals—but when it comes to actually doing it? Fear kicks in. Doubt. Overthinking. And suddenly, they put their dreams on hold for later… which often means never.

As a trainer in adult education, I’ve always been fascinated by what truly drives people. I don’t just want to teach skills—I want to find that inner spark in my clients. What makes them light up? What do they actually care about?

One time, I worked with someone who wanted to create raps. He had the passion, the interest—but still, something kept stopping him. It was always not the right moment, or he wasn’t good enough yet, or something else came up. And that’s normal. Even when we love something, it’s easy to find reasons not to do it.

So, I did what I always do—I created an open space, encouraged action, gave honest but constructive feedback, and just kept the momentum going. But something unexpected happened: he got “distracted.” Instead of focusing on his raps, he started putting more energy into the program’s goals—the very thing I was supposed to help him with.

And guess what? That was actually the whole point.

Distraction Can Be Productive

This pattern isn’t just something I see in my students—it’s something I experience myself all the time.

When working on Edenauts, my game project, I’ve noticed a strange habit: whenever things get hard, I get “distracted” by other creative tasks. Suddenly, it seems much easier to sketch a new concept, experiment with mechanics, or play around with random features than to tackle the core of the project.

And yeah, in one way, that’s procrastination. But in another way? It’s also movement. It keeps me engaged, keeps me learning, keeps me feeling progress even when my brain is avoiding the tough stuff.

Intentional Distraction as a Strategy

Here’s what I’ve learned: Distraction isn’t always bad. If you’re aware of it, you can steer it toward something productive.

• If you’re stuck on a big goal, redirect your focus to something related—something that keeps you moving instead of shutting down completely.

• Some days, you’ll be laser-focused. Other days, your brain will pull you in a different direction. Both are fine. The key is to work with it, not against it.

• Progress isn’t a straight line—it’s more like a series of zigzags. As long as you keep moving, you’re still getting somewhere.

So yeah, sometimes I accidentally distract people from what they think they should be doing—only to have them rediscover their drive in a new way.

And honestly? That’s kind of the magic of learning. It’s not always about forcing yourself to stay on track. Sometimes, it’s about letting yourself get “distracted” in the right direction.