When you start your own business you need to make quick decisions and
act on your feet to keep your assets intact. Learning new skills can
also be very valuable, but I get it, there’s never a moment to spare.
Wouldn't it be nice to have an edge and actually consume information and
learn new skills faster?
Here’s the good news: this checklist will help you become a faster learner in any area:
1. Find someone with an edge.
I
listen to Tim Ferriss’s podcast a lot. He’s the author of The 4-Hour
Workweek and he mentions his new television show The Tim Ferriss
Experiment where he has to quickly learn a new language, how to drive a
racecar and become a great poker player.
For
him the challenge is learning enough of the new skills to be competent
and not make a fool of himself on TV. So how does he do it? He says
the quickest way to learn something is to find someone who shouldn’t
excel at a skill but does anyway. For example, a short basketball
player: What’s his trick? Understanding that you might have to go the
least likely route to learn on the fly will help you overcome more
obstacles in your business. Look for the solutions that are a little
counterintuitive.
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
When
we’re trying to get a grip on something new, it’s easy to get bogged
down by the details. Instead, try to focus on the big picture. If you’re
trying to learn a new language you should start with the most
frequently used phrases. Once you grasp the key concepts, the rest
should flow more easily.
3. Chop up your big project.
Make
bite-sized and attainable goals for yourself. That way you’ll be more
likely to attain them and set yourself up for success. Having defined
deadlines with very actionable tasks will get you to the finish line
faster. For instance, if you need to learn new software, break down all
the ways it will help you during you day and learn to use it in pieces.
4. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
When
you’re first starting out you should expect to do a bit of trial and
error. Pushing yourself to get everything right just adds unnecessary
stress and pressure. Go easy on yourself.
5. Ask for help.
Pride
has a tendency to get in our way. When we’re complete novices at
something we often don’t mind looking for advice. However, as soon as we
start to find our feet, we suddenly stop asking for help. Why is that?
Most people are happy to share some of their wisdom, so why stop asking
for it now? I always like to reach out to the best of the best for any
topic and often I'll find that person is more than happy to give me a
helping hand.
6. Reward yourself.
Learning something new
can be quite a big ask. It something that takes time and dedication. You
might find yourself going weeks without any progress. So how do you
keep up your moral? Make sure to reward yourself for each step you take.
It doesn’t have to be something huge, just enough to keep you going.
Manicures and rounds of golf work well for personal bribery.
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