Learning A New Skill…

What would it take? Here are the steps…

Declaring Your Intention

It starts with intention.

You have to tell yourself, “I will learn X”.

“X” is something you are interested in learning…

…Like a language.

…Or, learning to cook.

Or, “X” is something you need to learn to move forward…

…Like a skill you don’t have, which may be an obstacle to getting a job.

…Or, a life-skill you don’t have, like managing your money, or learning to present yourself confidently.

Whatever the skill, you need to take action.

Don’t say “I have to learn X”, or “I should learn X”, or “I could learn X”.

Say “I will learn X”.

Declare your intention.

Taking Action

After declaring your intention, the next step is taking action.

Find out where and how, you can pick up the skill you want to pick up, or the skill you need to pick up.

Is it online?

Is it on the job?

Is it from a family member or friend?

Is it by working on a job with someone who already knows the skill?

Don’t be afraid to ask around.

Don’t be afraid to express interest.

You just may find someone who can help, or who opens a door for you.

Paying Attention

Once you find a learning resource, or find a learning opportunity, use your learning resource or learning opportunity well.

Be attentive.

Ask questions.

Make mental or physical notes.

Maximize the value of your learning.

Practicing

It goes without saying that you should practice what you’ve learned.

Practice, practice, practice!

Utilizing Your New Skill

Theoretical knowledge is different from applied knowledge.

Someone explaining how to do something is not the same as doing it yourself.

Knowing how to do something is not the same as actually using the knowledge in real life.

So become a doer by using what you’ve learned.

You can look at a recipe.

It becomes a dish only when you follow the recipe and cook the dish.

And you can’t stop after you’ve cooked your first dish, and say, “I’ve learned to cook.”

You may have learned to make a pot roast.

But have you learned to make rice?

Or learned to make chappathis?

Or learned to make Tiramisu?

In much the same way, whatever the skill, you can’t say “I know that” after using it once.

You have to use it again and again.

The more you utilize a new skill, the more competent and confident you will become in that skill.

Bouncing back from your mistakes

Every skill was new to everybody at one time or another.

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, both when you are new, and when you are not so new.

You will bounce back from mistakes, if you stay the course.

This is true whether the skill is a physical skill like driving; an artistic skill like painting, a professional skill like new software; or a life skill like investing or public speaking.

Going from Starting to Master

Use all the resources available to you - formal and informal – to speed up your progress.

There is no set time to go from Starting to Master.

You can always add to your training and increase your competence.

And you do not have to depend on formal training - from a college, or a class – to do this.

You can find alternate resources to add to your training and increase your competence.

You can tap the knowledge and experience of people who have a better mastery of that skill than you.

Or you can use library books and online resources.

I learned public speaking by joining Toastmasters. 

I learned taxes online.

And I learned all the tools of the trade in my second career, Commissions Administration, without doing any formal training.

Initially, it was my manager who trained me.

After she went out on maternity leave, I turned to books.

Later still in my career, I turned to online resources, including vba code and Youtube videos.

As an example, when I was on my Fortinet assignment, I found vba code for 20 different Excel macros to use in my work.

Utilization is extremely important when it comes to any skill.

If you are learning a new language; you have to use the skill again and again, until speaking in that language, or writing in that language becomes natural for you.

It is the same with driving.

It is the same with public speaking.

It is the same with investing.

If you pick up any of these skills, but never use them, or use them for a while, then stop using them, or use them only in a limited way, you will develop only reluctant and hesitant competence and confidence in them.

As a result, you will get only limited use from them.

You will certainly not get full and meaningful use from them.

You want to make sure you are using your skills in such a way, it leads to a clear sense of mastery and accomplishment!