The Dude Does Not Abide These Bears: Four Brain Bear-iers to learning.

The Dude Does Not Abide These Bears: The Four Brain Bear-riers to learning.

So you're trying to learn something new—maybe it's quantum physics, maybe it's how to play your Tai Chi form, maybe it's just remembering where you put your keys. Whatever it is, congratulations! You're about to meet some bears.

Not the cute, cuddly kind. Not even the terrifying grizzly kind. These are learning bears, and they're lurking in the forest of your brain, waiting to shut down your ability to absorb literally anything new. Yes, there are bears in the woods..

Meet Your Brain Bears

1. The Blowing Fussing Bear (AKA "I'm NOT Wrong, YOU'RE Wrong!")

This bear shows up when new information has the AUDACITY to contradict what you already believe. You get mad. You get huffy. You start muttering "well, ACTUALLY..." under your breath.

What does it feel like to be wrong?

Answer: Being wrong doesn't feel like anything until you find out you're wrong.

Mind. Blown.

How to fight it: Do something—ANYTHING—differently. Brush your teeth with your opposite hand. Walk backwards to the bathroom. If you practice Tai Chi, do your form in reverse or with only your upper body. Basically, confuse your brain so much that it forgets to be stubborn.

2. The Trout Bear (AKA "My Brain Has Left the Building")

You know that look? Mouth hanging open. Eyes glazed over. You're basically a human screensaver at this point. Scientists call this "information overload." I call it Trout Face.

How to fight it: Take a nap. Or sit quietly with your eyes closed for 5 minutes or maybe 20. Seriously, that's it. Your brain is full. It's like trying to download more apps when your phone storage is maxed out. Sleep is your brain's version of "delete cache."

3. The Inertia Bound Bear (AKA "Error 404: Brain Not Found")

This is when you completely freeze up. Your mind goes blank. Everything stops. You're stuck in mental quicksand, you've been trying so hard that a lot of bad momentum has started to run you over. That's when the bear wins.

How to fight it: Stop trying so hard and just play! This is where Tai Chi or Qigong becomes your best friend. Play like no one is watching and just move—let that flowing energy unstick your brain. Get lost in the motion. Or practice some standing meditation and just breathe like a normal human for five minutes. Remember that time your friend made you laugh and water came out of your nose. The key is to laugh at the problem instead of wrestling it to the ground like some kind of information gladiator. Tai Chi teaches us to move with the flow, not against it. Don't contend just flow.

4. The Blissed Out Bear (AKA "I'm One With The Universe, Man")

This bear convinces you that ONE THING is the answer to everything. You do it over and over. You're floating. You're cosmic. You're also completely useless and starting to feel like a fraud.

How to fight it: Ground yourself. Literally. This is where Qigong gets real practical—focus on your feet touching the earth. In Tai Chi, we talk about "rooting"—imagine energy sinking down through your legs and roots growing three times your height into the ground. Feel your feet when you walk from room to room. Start a random new project you don't even care about finishing. The goal is to stop being a space cadet and rejoin Planet Earth. Remember: even the most graceful Tai Chi form is useless if you're floating off into the clouds.

The Bottom Line

Want to be a better learner? Stop fighting yourself and start fighting bears. Know your patterns. Clean your mental chalkboard. And remember: if learning feels impossible, you probably just need a nap or to practice some Qigong.

The ancient Tai Chi masters knew something we're all forgetting in our hustle culture: you can't force the river to flow faster. Sometimes you need to move slowly, breathe deeply, and let your brain catch up to your ambition.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go practice my Tai Chi form backwards while my brain processes this entire article.

Your karma ran over your dogma. You're welcome.