By Atunlute Isaac
Globally, skills acquisition is now considered indispensable in the 21st-century world. Experts continually hype the idea of learning a new set of skills in order to stay relevant in the job market. Yet gaining fluency in a new skill, like mastering a foreign language, is fraught with challenges. Below, we offer a smart guide to help you learn faster and more efficiently.
Develop your own learning style
To start with, understand your style of learning suits you best and tailor your lessons accordingly. Discover your style and build on it. For example, if you’re a visual learner or auditory or by reading and writing, practice regularly to perfection.
Take it in small chunks
Trying to consume a truckload of information within a short amount of time is often not a prudent thing to do when learning a new skill. Consider, instead, breaking the lessons into small modules that you can cover over a period of time. Take a bite, put it into trial and take another bite again. As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race.
Don’t be afraid to fail.
More often than not, learning evokes a strong residue of anxiety. What if you fail? How would the public judge you? The doubts are so nagging. The process of learning entails making mistakes and discovering what works. Overcome this anxiety by continually practising what you’ve learnt. This will help you work on your weaknesses. What’s more, it will build your level of confidence and inspire you to ascend higher on the ladder of mastery.
Adopt the 80/20 rule.
According to Pareto’s principle, 80% of your result comes from 20% of the effort you invest in it. This means identifying the key component of your skills that yields the most results. For example, if you’re learning a language, focus on the most commonly used words and practise them diligently. If coding is your forte, be sure to master basic programming languages such as HTML before attempting the complex parts.
Teach what you learn.
It’s often said that teaching is the fastest way to learn. This is true for several reasons. When you explain an idea in words, you gain a greater understanding of its meaning. You can either discuss the idea with your friends or launch a YouTube channel, with which you discuss the ideas with a broader audience—whatever option rocks your boat. To teach is to learn twice.
Keep track of your progress and stay consistent.
Building up a new skill is often a slow, boring process that can span months or even years. During this phase, your initial enthusiasm for the course or skill has faded and it can be easy to ignore any little progress you’ve made. To avoid this pitfall, keep an eye on your growth; observing how far you’ve come will fill you with a fresh dose of motivation and keep you going.
In Conclusion
Skill acquisition requires not only talents but also discipline. Yet it helps to pay attention to your inclinations and see what works for you. Unlock the full potential of your brain by engaging in repeated practices. Above all, stay curious for knowledge and never stop asking questions.
Skills acquisition is crucial in the 21st century with experts emphasizing the importance of learning new skills to remain competitive in the job market. However, mastering a new skill can be challenging. A smart guide for efficient learning includes developing your own learning style, taking in knowledge in small manageable chunks, and not fearing failure since making mistakes is part of the learning process. Utilizing the 80/20 rule can optimize learning by focusing on key elements that yield significant results. Teaching what you've learned also reinforces understanding, while keeping track of your progress maintains motivation. Discipline, curiosity, and repeated practice further unlock your learning potential.
