A click is a satisfyingly crisp sound made when something falls right into place. Seatbelt buckles, retractable pens, Swingline staplers, Tupperware lids… even sliding the battery into a cordless drill. I personally use a mechanical keyboard because every letter typed is a tiny audible treat.
But click has another, less tangible definition. It describes when something falls right into place mentally… when something “clicks,” we finally get it.
This kind of click can happen at any age, and if we aren’t paying attention, we might miss it entirely.
It’s the student who finally understands long division after hours of studying. The knitter smoothly sliding a needle through loops without looking down. The juggler who stops thinking about the balls altogether.
What’s happening under the hood? Every time we apply our minds to something, a path gets carved through the neurons in our brain. New synaptic connections form while existing ones are strengthened. As a result, electrical signals are able to travel faster. In short, the more we repeat a task, the easier it becomes and the less conscious effort is required to do it. Understanding blossoms and the task become “second nature”.
The click is when it all comes together in a way we actually notice.. and boy is it a good feeling. That rush of confidence and dopamine might be rare, but it’s a feeling worth chasing.
Whether we’re training our fingers to make a difficult chord shape on an instrument, trying to land a trick on a skateboard, or finally managing to parallel park without a second attempt, the click can happen regardless of our special interests, and the reward always makes it worth the pursuit.
The next time you feel like quitting something that seems insurmountable, keep going. The click might be just around the corner. It’s also a good excuse to start that new hobby you’ve been thinking about. Figure out where that click moment might happen, and get after it!
Warm regards,
Jimerson Adkins