How I Learned To Acquire Skills FAST

How I Learned To Acquire Skills Fast

I have commitment issues.

I quit the moment I get frustrated.

This may be the result of the environment I was raised in, but complaining about that won’t change a thing.

I want to learn new skills, but I don’t want it to take forever. I want to learn FAST so I can make progress without feeling frustrated.

Everyone I know wishes they spoke another language or could play the guitar - but why is no one getting results?

Is everyone victim to the frustration barrier?

I made it my goal to find out: I’m going to learn how to learn.

So I picked up some books…

I’m not an avid reader, but I downed these books in quick succession hoping to find a solution to my problem - and I did.

Here’s what I found:

First, you have to accept a few uncomfortable truths:

1. Many skills aren’t fun until you’re good at them

2. There is a top 1% of a skill, and that likely won’t be you

3. The most rewarding experiences in life require some level of skill

You have no choice. You have to learn skills.

Second, you need a goal:

An ideal goal fixes a problem in your life, but happens to involve acquiring a new skill. This is the easiest way to learn - by making the learning secondary.

For example: My problem is that I’m not a great conversationalist. I want to be able to talk to anyone without becoming a nervous wreck.

I’m not learning for the sake of learning, I’m learning to fix my circumstances.

Third, you need a plan to complete your goal:

1. Deconstruct your skill into the most important sub-skills

2. Research these sub-skills enough to be dangerous

3. Practice these sub-skills till your satisfied

How to deconstruct your skill:

Take a look at the experts in your desired field to see their skill stack.

For example: I’m still not a great conversationalist, but you know who is? Talk show hosts. What skills do they possess? They’re active listeners, good story tellers, and improvisational wizards.

How to research your skill:

Just google “how to be good at {insert skill here}”

Find three to five books, youtube videos, or articles connected to your skill.

For example: Five books to help me become a better conversationalist.

Your goal while reading is to find the big shiny ideas and cut out the rest of the clutter. If you read five books on one subject, it’s doubtful you’ll learn anything new by the fourth book.

How to practice your skill:

You remember 75% of what you learn when you practice what you learned.

Set aside time for eight practice sessions a day using the Pomodoro Technique:

Set a timer for 25 minutes to focus completely on practice, no distractions. Then take a 5 minute break to give your brain a break.

Space out your practice sessions throughout the day. Studies show that spaced repetition is far more effective than a singular practice session.

Also change locations as frequently as possible between practice sessions. You are strengthening your memory because it will be associated with multiple locations, smells, and stimuli to help you remember.

Lastly, review your research 15 minutes before you sleep. It’s an easy way to reinforce everything you are learning.

Bonus Tip: Exercise puts your brain into the optimal state for learning because of the extra blood, oxygen, and glucose pumped through your veins. To capitalize on this, increase your heart rate during your 5 minute breaks.

No practice, no skill acquisition. It’s as simple as that.

Next week I will break down my results of learning to be a better conversationalist.

Thanks for reading.

Logan Leiter