How to Master New Skills and Continue Learning

I certainly believe in the tag “Student of Life” because it clearly tells me that a person who does identify himself as such accepts that he is learning new things every day and that he will never be 100% expert of everything in this world. This kind of mindset takes some humility as well as wisdom to understand the need for constant learning. Being a self-help junkie, I have loaded myself with a lot of self-improvement books and have benefited from them. Thanks to my faith in the reading habit. A new book in my Kindle app is just apt for this subject that spurred this post: “Novice to Expert: 6 Steps to Learn Anything, Increase Your Knowledge, and Master New Skills” by S.J. Scott (a.k.a. Steve Scott). The book explores how anyone can be and prove to be expert enough in any subject.  Reading this book refreshes me of the need to learn and to determine at which level you want to take the learning of a specific subject. I have been interested in learning a number of things for a number of reasons – learn Mandarin to keep up with my kid who is learning this language in school; improving playing keyboard which is an area of interest for my two kids (and me, back in the days …); and improving my writing speed in order to be more productive and reach my goal of earning income from them. These are just a few of the many. And finding a book in the subject of learning to become expert is a welcome delight to me. For once, I should take learning seriously and perhaps plan for it! My takeaways from this book are old and new to me. I have to say that the book gave me a reboot inspiration of learning and that, again, as years go by, it is never too late to learn anything. Even if I wasn’t one of the best students in school during my student days, I can still catch up and make up for what I can do now. Nevertheless, the few nuggets I take as I complete reading this book are priceless refreshers and new perspectives. #1. Identify your preferred learning style While most of us have probably been exposed to the formal learning in the classroom – which is usually a sit down and listen to the lecture practice – there are different methods of learning that many schools nowadays approach, in order to enhance and stimulate further interest and engagement among students. Steve shared the learning styles which tell you the specific environment and mode that may work for you such as social (interpersonal), solitary (intrapersonal), visual (spactial), verbal (linguistic) and physical (kinesthetic). As the names imply, learning can be in different styles related to group/solitary dynamics; senses that work best for the learner; or the way the lessons should come in order or in random, creative spur. #2. Take action-oriented notes I believe in the importance of […]