Learning something new can be broken down into a process and then the same process applied to anything you are interested in. And with the amount of knowledge available at your finger tips the only valid excuse you can have is that it not a priority for your time.
Here are 7 steps you can apply to any skill you want to develop.
Step 1: Inspiration
First off, you need some inspiration. A reason to learn it. If your inspiration isn't good enough, you won't have the commitment to keep at it, especially when you difficult points. Find experts in your chosen area that you admire and look at their work/watch them. Get an idea in your head of what the best with that skill set do. Imagine what you will be able to do once you learn your chosen skill. Imagine the sense of accomplishment you will feel.
Step 2: Collecting knowledge
Once you have an inspiration that will give the motivation to keep you going through the tough spots, because that always comes, find sources that will give you the basic foundational skills you need. Your local library will have books to teach skills on nearly anything. Googling always brings up lots of info. And Youtube is amazing, especially for auditory and visual learners. You can search anything, "Beginning to _____ (insert your subject)" and there is always a myriad of hits. And if you like a particular video, the channel it is on will often have more helpful videos.
Usually looking at least 3-5 different sources can help you find info that is agreed on by several different experienced people. If it is a skill that can cause physical damage if it is not done properly then try to make sure that at least one of your sources is from a professional.
This is also where having someone to teach you is a short cut. They already have the knowledge base, and you don't have to take the time to sift through all of the info out there to find what you need.
Step 3: Learning Coordination
Once you have an idea of how to get started and what the first few steps and foundational skills are it is time to jump right in.
Try to set yourself up for success. If you are hungry, tired or thirsty things can be much more frustrating. But don't let these be excuses.
Starting out is always the toughest part. Learning the coordination the skill requires takes some effort and time. This is the point that you want say "I tried it, I can't do it."
You just have to give your body and brain enough time learn a new way of doing things. The coordination that some skills need may come more naturally to some people than others, but if you work at it, you can learn anything.
Step 4: Commitment
Do something every day to develop your new talent. Even it is only for 20 minutes, consistency will keep you in a habit that will help you improve, even if it is only a little every day.
Some skills you can practice as long as you want once the muscle tone or mode of thinking is developed. Others can be physically demanding on specific muscles and you need to make sure you are not going to over exert. Most of these skills the experts usually will say that consistent quality practice is more helpful for getting better at it then lengthy practices that exhaust the muscles.
Have some small goals to achieve. Have small projects that you can finish quickly, and when you are done find another. This is a good way help you to do it every day. If only a few hours work gives you a something to be proud of then it can be motivation to keep going.
Have big goals. Big goals often have more aspects of the talent that need developing so it can push you work on things you wouldn't if you only stick to small goals. Again, it provides a great sense of accomplishment and motivation.
Keep working at it until you achieve your goals.
Step 5: Refinement
Developing control and precision in doing the skill. Figure out how to consistently to have specific results. Your small goals can be great for doing this. Choose small goals that refine specific aspects of your skill. Usually by the time you complete it you will be able to have complete control over that aspect. It not, do another small goal that works on that aspect.
This is the other step that having someone to coach can help you. They can point out areas that you can improve your technique or help you look at things in a different way.
Step five and step seven are the differences between an amateur and professional. Professionals know exactly how to produce a desired outcome over and over again.
Step 6: Sharing
Once you feel proficient enough in your new skill it is so important to share it. You can find someone to give a gift to, or a community that appreciates the skill you are developing. Selling things online, or performing can work too, depending on the skill. Sharing can push you to want to refine your skill. It can provide you with new inspiration when you know others appreciate what you have put so much effort into.
Step 7: Continual Challenge
Every skill has sub skills within it, and as you take those on the process begins over again. You can try different styles, or a more complicated technique. Or maybe there are related skills that would help you in refining further. There is always a way to become better. And it doesn't always have to be the way people tell you to do it.
If you follow what inspires you, your passion it will push you to succeed far faster then any arbitrary "rule" you are told you have to follow to be good at it. Again, making sure you have good technique will help you do things faster, or save you from injury. But aside from that, don't let anyone tell how to do things! You know what inspires you most.
Sometimes your situation may be one that makes you think that you can't do something. You may have physical limitations that make it so the way you do something looks different then how anyone else would. But you still can. You might have to find your own way, but you can do it.
Here is a fabulous Ted talk I've seen that breaks down the process of learning new skills a little differently then I did. I highly recommend taking a look at it.
Here is a fabulous Ted talk I've seen that breaks down the process of learning new skills a little differently then I did. I highly recommend taking a look at it.
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