Learning a new skill

The most important thing about learning any new skill is that you set quantifiable, definable, and measurable goals before you start.

‘Learning to Paint’ might be a great new skill, but it is not measurable. How do you know when you have successfully ‘learned to paint’? I have been painting for 23 years, and I still have so much more to learn.

Instead, by defining the task, you can say ‘I want to learn how to paint a realistic-looking human eye using watercolour over two three-hour sessions’.

Much better.

The task is defined, as well as the medium and the timeframe, and no doubt you can find a YouTube video with step-by-step instructions to help you get there.

What if I am not good enough?

All learning involves oscillating between certainty and confusion.

As we ingest new information, we shift between the certainty of what we knew before, to confusion as we encounter new information. Then we return to certainty once we process and assimilate the new information.

Feeling overwhelmed occurs when we cannot process the new information at the rate we need to – if at all.

If we remain confused in the face of even more new information, and we do not return to certainty, our confusion descends to frustration, then anger, and ultimately we disengage from the learning process altogether.

This feeling of overwhelm happens for one of two reasons:

One: the information is delivered too quickly, and we cannot process it in time.

Two: the information is presented in a way that will not allow us ever to return to certainty. We usually disregard it as beyond our ability or too difficult.

Conversely, if we find ourselves processing information too easily, we become bored.

If you are directing your own learning, it is your job to be aware of when you are in confusion, and ask enough questions to return to certainty.

If you spend too long in confusion, you will eventually feel overwhelmed. Conversely, you need to challenge yourself enough to feel engaged with the process.

Learning anything new is a tricky balancing act, but useful to understand.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed or bored during the learning process and take it personally.

Instead of feeling responsible for your inability to engage with the material – the key is to be aware of how to balance your own confusion and certainty.