I remember the last time I tried teaching myself a new skill. The first time I did it was back in 8th grade with a little tool called a sketchbook. Back then, I would spend hours practicing art and learning how to draw. Of course, that’s the advice I got too. “Practise makes perfect,” after all.
And so, without so much as a second thought, I began my journey into the world of art and drawing. I picked up some new sketchbooks and even tried exploring YouTube guides. But can you guess the results?
Well, unfortunately, I wasn’t very successful. And while I did learn to draw, the time I invested was less impactful and more unproductive.
So, you might be wondering what went wrong. Looking back, it’s easy for me to identify my mistake. I simply wasn’t aware of how to acquire new skills. Instead, I tried ineffective methods that led to a lack of growth. I kept looking for the perfect solution or course. But eventually, it was clear mastering a new skill isn’t straightforward.
Fortunately, I’ve come a long way since. And in this time, I’ve picked up some techniques to learn new skills. They are easy to implement. And by using them, I have learned many things, including graphic design and writing.
So today, I will share some insights with you as part of the online academic writing UK team. And I’ll teach you how you, too, can acquire new skills with ease. We’ll cover the essentials so you can begin right away!
Skill Acquisition Model and Learning
Before we dive deeper into acquiring a new skill, we need to first be aware of skill acquisition. Or, more specifically, the different stages you will go through.
Cognitive – Stage One
Stage one is cognitive. It’s the introductory part of developing new skills. In this step, you will learn about your skill, break it down, and focus on research and beginning practice.
However, what you should not do is worry about making mistakes. Instead, focus on making more! The point is to fully experience the skill. And if this brings you to missteps, it’s alright. You can focus on correcting those mistakes in the next stages. These errors will actually help you learn more.
Of course, we don’t mean you should put in less effort. After all, you still need to learn the skill. But instead, experience the skill while also developing good habits.
Associative – Stage Two
After stage one comes the associative stage. We can call this the halfway point. Here, you will concentrate more on practice and repetition. Your brain has all the introductory information, and you can analyze your techniques while also making changes with feedback.
The focus of this stage is to use feedback to correct the errors in stage one. But most people can get stuck here. So, be aware of how you respond to feedback. This is very important because your growth and progression can stagnate if you don’t improve.
But don’t worry. We will aid you if you get stuck. Let’s move to stage three.
Autonomous – Stage Three
Stage three is the final part of skill acquisition. It’s called autonomous because you know enough about your skill and can do it automatically.
However, you should note that the ability to execute and use a skill does not mean you’re a master. For instance, there are guitar players in the world who can play in a band. But not all of them are complete masters of every song, style, and format.
Mastery takes much longer to achieve. It can even take your whole life. But the good news about the autonomous stage is that it’s easy to get to a competent level without spending so much time. After all, the goal of learning new skills isn’t so we can be a master. Instead, it’s so we can competently handle it.
Most people are ready to reach this level of competency. However, the next part of our blog is even more important. It focuses on the approach because that’s more crucial.
The Right Approach to Acquiring Skills
According to Josh Kaufman, you can learn anything fast. At least, that’s how he puts it in his book. You just have to make it through the first 20 hours. If you focus and follow his steps, you can easily become competent in any skill. Let’s take a look at what he outlines:
1. Skill Deconstruction
The first step is all about breaking down your skill into manageable pieces. Then, focus on prioritizing each one. For instance, let’s say you’re learning guitar. You’ll break it down like this:
- Strumming
- Chords
- Reading tabs and standard notation
Then, you will focus on each sub-skill individually in order of its importance and work towards setting up your priorities.
2. Sub-Skill Acquisition
The second step goes more in-depth into sub-skill acquisition. You will need to start learning or practicing each of these and evaluating your progress. In addition, you’ll also need to focus on self-correction.
How you pick up each sub-skill is up to you, of course. For instance, I love graphic design, so I picked up a course that teaches me proficiency in each area. Similarly, you can find an academic writing service UK platform if you need to improve your academic sub-skills. Or search for other tools if you need to learn.
In the end, it’s up to you. But ensure you focus on each sub-skill individually for the best result.
3. Removing Barriers
Now you’re focusing on the main skill and the sub-skills. But you may have to pay attention to a few more things. For instance, the obstacles preventing you from learning your new skill.
There are several barriers that slow learners down. But once you’re past the initial inertia, it’s smooth sailing. For example, a common barrier is a lack of motivation. It usually has a long-term impact. But you can find ways to motivate yourself with good habits that help you focus on learning more.
Here are a few more ways to remove barriers:
Learn with an accountability partner: Work with a friend to improve and stay motivated.
Join a group or community: This will give you more perspective on your personal progress and push you to do better.
Track your progress: Learning a new skill takes time. So, you need to track your long-term progress and find ways to improve.
4. Practising Deliberately
Now, the only way to really learn a skill is if you spend time working on it. That’s why our final step is practicing with deliberate action. Practise means working till you achieve all sub-skills or become proficient in your expertise of choice.
Practice is one of the hardest parts of building skills. But it’s the most crucial step to making large gains with your abilities.
Conclusion
This brings you to the final portion of our blog. We hope you learned the methods to gain new talents. Of course, skill acquisition is a hard thing to master on its own. So, we understand if you feel worried about learning new things. But try using our guide above to improve over time.
You will see success if you just start trying.
