The ability to learn a new skill quickly is a major asset today in both private and professional life. But learning a new skill can be a daunting task, we have so many commitments and distractions, it can feel impossible. In this article, I will share a six-step actionable process for learning new skills quickly and effectively.
6 Steps to learning new skills quickly and effectively
1. Make the decision to learn
On a biological level, a skill is a bunch of connections in your brain, the more you practice certain actions, the stronger these connections become.
This happens unconsciously all the time, that’s how habits are formed.
The first step in effectively learning something new is making a decision about what you want to learn and deliberately focus your efforts on it. Your brain will take care of the rest.
When you want to learn something new, it’s common to say to yourself things like:
“I want to learn…”,
“I’d like to learn…”,
“I’m going to learn…”.
These phrases all outline a desire, or an intention, what they lack is commitment. Instead, say to yourself:
“I’m learning…”
Now you’re telling your brain that you’re already learning what you want to learn, the decision has already been made.
2. Set clear goals and break them down into mini-goals
Now you’ve decided that you are learning something, you need to know what to focus on. Setting yourself a clear goal will give you clarity and something to focus on.
Breaking those goals down into smaller, mini-goals can help with feelings of overwhelm and procrastination. Rank the mini-goals in order of priority and tackle them one by one.
A great technique for setting goals is the SMART goals technique; when you set yourself a goal it should be:
Specific – clarity is key. Make your goal as clear and specific as possible. Ask yourself “what does it look like to master this skill?” If you can make it quantifiable, even better; this will also help with the next point…
Measurable – if you don’t know exactly where you’re going, how will you know when you get there? Ask yourself: “how will I know when I have the skill?” and “how can I measure my progress?” Create a statement, “I will be able to (INSERT SKILL HERE)”…
Achievable – you have to be realistic. I’m all for setting lofty goals, it’s fun to set a goal and see if you can smash it. But constantly setting goals that are impossible to reach is demotivating. Ask yourself “what are my strengths and weaknesses?”….
Relevant – decide why you want to learn; what your motivation is. Ask yourself: “How will I feel when you reach my goal? How will your life look?” Envision it and hold on to that…
Time-bound – give yourself a deadline, this creates a sense of urgency and helps beating the beast of procrastination. Ask yourself: “how much time do I have to dedicate to this?”
I’m sure you can find more questions to ask yourself to create goals and ultimately a learning plan that you can follow.
3. Anticipate the hurdles
At some point in your learning journey you will feel like you stopped making progress. We talk about a ‘learning curve’, but in reality it’s more like a rickety staircase. We learn, make progress, then reach a plateau.
It’s at this point that you feel like you’ve reached your limit, will-power gives out, and most people give up.
The truth is that at this point you have to keep going; limits are all in your mind, as soon as you believe something is possible, you can achieve it. Look to others who have already learned the skill you are working on; if they can do it, so can you.
4. Take action
All the planning in the world won’t teach you anything (except planning skills that is).
You have to take regular consistent action. This is the only way you can build a habit, create those connections in your brain, and improve in the skill you have decided to learn.
Follow your plan for a week, at the end of the week take some time to reflect: what worked well? What have you learned? What problems did you anticipate? Did anything come up that you hadn’t anticipated?
Make the necessary amendments to your goals and learning plan and repeat. I can’t stress this enough, the number one most important thing for learning new skills quickly and effectively is regular, consistent action!
5. Find a mentor or accountability group
One of the absolute best ways to help you following through on any goal including learning skills, is to learn from someone who has already been where you are and done what you have done.
Having a mentor can save you a lot of time and effort.
In the same way, finding a community can give you a number of benefits. These include, getting motivation and inspiration, in those times when you think you reached your limit, shared experience that can drastically reduce that ‘learning-curve’.
It’s never been easier to connect with like-minded people with similar goals and ambitions around the globe. Find Facebook group or other online community who can support you, maybe you already have the right people in your existing network.
6. Teach what you learn
I’ve based these last two points on the 70-20-10 model for learning and development in professional training. Basically, 70% of what we learn comes from real-life experience, 20% comes from interacting with others, and only 10% comes from formal training.
This can be applied in non-professional learning too. Think of it like this: Learn-Do-Teach. As you learn a new skill, you practice it and become better, and you can pass on that knowledge to others who are further behind you in their own learning journey.
This provides valuable practice and insights and you don’t need formal training in education.
Try explaining what you’re learning to friends or colleagues.
If you have a network, reach out and offer advice based on your experiences.
If you are learning a new skill for work, make a presentation for your team or department.
Write a regular blog or shoot videos about it, see if you can summarise what you are learning in simple words.
You will be surprised at the progress you will make as a result of this.
What new skills are you learning? Let me know in the comments.
