How do we learn, and how can we do it quickly? In his fascinating TED Talk, “The First 20 Hours”, Josh Kaufman – a bestselling author on business, skill acquisition and applied psychology – provides some answers.
Commonly cited wisdom states that it takes 10,000 hours to master a new skill (the equivalent of a full-time job over five years). However, Josh discovered that this figure emerged from research into expert-level performance. Yet not all of us want to get to the very top of an ultra-competitive, narrow subject. What if we simply want to learn something new?
Kaufman claims good news supported by solid research—we can get good at things with just a little practice. Here, the Learning Curve comes into play. When you start learning something new, you are incompetent. After a bit of practice (e.g. hitting a tennis ball), you accelerate in competence quite rapidly. Later, a plateau arrives.
So, how long does it take to move from grossly incompetent to “reasonably good” at something? Roughly 20 hours. This could be achieved in about 45 minutes per day over a month. Certainly, this is more achievable than 10,000 hours! However, there is a method to achieve this.
Kaufman argues for four simple steps to learn a new skill in 20 hours. Intelligent practice is required. Firstly, deconstruct the skill by breaking it down into smaller pieces. Then, learn enough to self-correct. Thirdly, remove practical barriers. Finally, practice for at least 20 hours.
The TED Talk ends with a very funny sequence (well worth the watch!), nicely illustrating the aforementioned method in action. Kaufman concludes with a useful thought—the major barrier to skill acquisition is not typically intellectual but emotional. Fear and feelings of incompetence are not pleasant when learning a new skill begins. However, if you can push through 20 hours of strategic practice, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
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