To do a thing that one has never done before.

[aachu]

I'm looking for a phrasal verb, idiom etc that means the same as 'doing a thing that one has never done before'. To break (new) ground is an idiom that comes to my mind, but I'm not sure if it's correct to say: "He broke new ground...".

[spongie]

to break new ground - it sounds ok.

Example:
He was breaking new ground in acting.
Dr. Smith broke new ground in cancer studies.

[tedtmc]

to pioneer something, to trail-blaze, to be avant-garde (to do with arts)

not a teacher

[Raymott]

I'm looking for a phrasal verb, idiom etc that means the same as 'doing a thing that one has never done before'. To break (new) ground is an idiom that comes to my mind, but I'm not sure if it's correct to say: "He broke new ground...".

The options you've received so far are only good if your meaning is 'doing a thing that no one has done before'. They don't work if it's only you who has never done it before.

[JMurray]

A common phrase for something you haven't done or experienced before is "a first for me".

"I've had a lot of strange food but the giant snails I ate today were a first for me".
"This nasty, selfish character is a first for me, I usually play nice guys".
"This is a first for me, to get such praise for my work, I'm not sure how to respond".

not a teacher

[SoothingDave]

Various analogies to losing one's virginity can be used, in certain company.

"Before today I was a sky-diving virgin."

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) Maybe a phrase that is currently very popular in the United States of America:

to think outside the box.

(2) For example, if a company is having trouble getting customers, the chief
. .
executive might ask his employees "to think outside the box" when trying to

get new customers.

(a) The usual ways ( discounts/ newspaper advertisements/ pretty

girls in TV commercials) may not be working.

(i) "To think outside the box" is to think of something really new. Something

that no one else has thought of before.

(3) Here is a humorous example that I once read. I cannot give credit, for I forget where

I read it. It seems that X always came down the stairs on his head. Of course, it

hurt X to come down the stairs on his head. Then one day someone thought outside

the box and said, "Hey! I have an idea. Why don't you come down the stairs on

your feet?" Now X has no problems when he walks down the stairs: he uses his

feet instead of his head.

(4) Nations and individuals always have problems. If we could only think outside the

box, maybe we could solve some of our problems. I guess Steve Jobs was famous for

thinking outside the box.