Creativity in 30 Days (Day 26) — Learn a New Skill
“Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.”
- Issac Asimov
Creative projects often involve having to learn a new skill, no matter how well the person creating is versed in their area of creativity.
For example, anyone who has started a business has probably found themselves having to learn the basics of web design. A writer who has decided to self publish has probably had to learn how to format eBooks. A person who makes craft products has probably had to learn how to take effective photographs of his art in order to share them online.
Learning something new can be both challenging and frustrating but don’t let that put you off doing it.
Josh Kaufmann, in his book The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast expresses the idea that with twenty hours of deliberate practice, you can go from knowing nothing about something to performing noticeably well, whether it’s learning an instrument, learning a language, etc.
His method consists four steps:
- Deconstruct — breaking down the skill into separate parts and focussing on the most important things to begin with (knowing just a few simple guitar chords for example will give you access to thousands of popular songs).
- Self correct — use reference materials to learn enough that you know when you make a mistake in order to correct yourself.
- Remove the learning barriers — removing that which distracts you from focussing on your learning
- Practice for at least twenty hours
Learning can, and should, be about exploring and experimentation (which is also how creativity works a lot of the time — you learn new things as you go along).
Learning a new skill has many benefits, least of all a feeling of accomplishment and pride.
It will help you to grow as a person and it enhances your knowledge base. It could also lead you onto something very different in your life, for the better.
Your Task:
Find something new you can learn. It doesn’t have to be anything as demanding as learning a language or repairing a car, but at least learn how to perform a small aspect of a larger skill.
Think about something small you are unable to do but could do if you just spent a small amount of time dedicated to it.
Here are some ideas to start you off:
Learn basic HTML code.
Learn how to cook a good meal.
Revise the math skills you have forgotten since you finished school.
Learn a few chords on the guitar or piano.
Learn how to make something using origami.
Apply at least the first three rules of The First 20 Hours method for now.
Extract from the forthcoming book Think It! Make It! by Richard P John of The Creativity Toolbox
