How to Learn Anything... Fast - Josh Kaufman

Summary

In this video, the speaker explores how to efficiently learn new skills in a short amount of time, challenging the 10,000-hour rule. Drawing on cognitive psychology, the speaker highlights a method that can take you from complete beginner to proficient in as little as 20 hours. This process involves defining clear goals, deconstructing skills into smaller parts, researching effective techniques, minimizing distractions, and committing to consistent practice. The speaker emphasizes the importance of persistence through early frustration and how this strategic approach can lead to faster, more enjoyable learning experiences.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 10,000-hour rule is a misconception; for most people, 20 hours of focused practice is enough to gain proficiency in a new skill.
• 😀 Focusing on deliberate practice for 20 hours helps overcome early challenges and leads to meaningful improvement.
• 😀 Breaking a skill into smaller sub-skills makes it easier to focus on the most important components first.
• 😀 Setting clear goals and understanding what success looks like is crucial for staying committed to learning a new skill.
• 😀 It’s important to pre-commit to practicing for 20 hours, which helps push through initial frustration and discouragement.
• 😀 Removing distractions and creating a practice-friendly environment is key to achieving consistent progress.
• 😀 Dabble-less and commit to a reasonable amount of practice before deciding if a skill is worth pursuing long-term.
• 😀 The first few hours of learning are often the hardest, but they offer the most significant improvement in the shortest time.
• 😀 The principle of 20 hours applies to both mental and motor skills, helping learners reach a basic level of proficiency quickly.
• 😀 If, after 20 hours, you feel the skill isn't for you, it's acceptable to stop, but you’ll gain valuable insight into the process.
• 😀 Learning is most effective when you push yourself out of your comfort zone, but balancing challenge and comfort is key to long-term success.

Q & A

What is the main premise of the 10,000 hour rule?

The 10,000 hour rule suggests that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become world-class at any skill. It was popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, based on research by K Anders Ericson, who studied experts like chess grandmasters and professional athletes.

Why is the 10,000 hour rule often misunderstood?

The 10,000 hour rule is frequently misunderstood because it was initially applied to highly competitive fields. Over time, the message became distorted, with people assuming that 10,000 hours is required to master any skill, which isn't true for most personal learning goals.

What is the correct amount of time to invest in learning a new skill?

Recent research suggests that 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice is enough to go from knowing nothing about a skill to being proficient. This is about 40 minutes per day for a month, a more realistic timeframe for most people.

What are the five steps to efficiently learn a new skill?

The five steps are: 1) Define your target performance level, 2) Deconstruct the skill into smaller subskills, 3) Do just enough research to understand the key subskills, 4) Remove distractions to make practice easier, and 5) Pre-commit to at least 20 hours of focused practice.

What does it mean to 'deconstruct the skill'?

Deconstructing the skill means breaking it down into smaller, manageable subskills. For example, golf isn't just one skill; it involves separate skills like driving, chipping, and putting. Focusing on the most important subskills first allows faster improvement.

How should you approach the research phase when learning something new?

You should find a few resources, such as books, courses, or trainers, and skim through them to identify the key ideas that come up repeatedly. This helps you identify the most important concepts and techniques to focus on during practice.

What role does removing distractions play in learning?

Removing distractions is essential to focused practice. This could involve turning off your phone, blocking the internet, and creating an environment free from interruptions. Making it easy to start practicing by setting up your workspace in advance also helps.

Why is pre-committing to 20 hours of practice important?

Pre-committing to 20 hours ensures that you stick with the practice through the frustrating early stages when progress feels slow. It sets a manageable goal that encourages you to push through initial discomfort and stay motivated.

What is the significance of practicing just before sleep?

Research in motor skills suggests that practicing just before sleep helps with memory consolidation, which improves performance the next day. This approach is useful when learning physical skills like playing an instrument.

What happens if you don't enjoy a skill after 20 hours of practice?

If you reach the 20-hour mark and still don't enjoy the skill or don't see significant improvement, it's okay to stop. You've gained valuable personal experience about the skill, and it may not be right for you. The key is to avoid dabbling for only a short time and giving up too quickly.