When you want to have an edge over others in your profession or academics, you must acquire many skill sets and stay updated. But the challenge here is that there is some much to learn, everyday there is a new update and we do not have that much time. So how to learn everything fast? And how long does it take to learn something new?
Whenever you start to learn anything new, you should start with a beginner’s mind. So first forget whatever you know about that subject. Also, forget about everything that is not urgent or important, and lastly forgot your limitations. This will help you to take in maximum information.
Learn fast through creation. It will always help to keep yourself and your mind active while you learn. For example, take notes, ask questions, use imagination, use mind mapping, etc. As we all generally experience that when we read in silence it makes us fall asleep. So remember- if you are active while learning, your brain is active to retain data
It’s very important to control your state of mind and surroundings. A happy mood and clean surrounding will really ease your learning process. Here is a simple formula to explain this
Information + Emotion = Long term memory.
Similarly, the feeling of pride to be learning something new, excitement, and the right environment will help you to remember what you learn for long.
The 4th advice here is that you should always learn something as if you will be teaching it. When you teach yourself, you learn twice and also you will simplify the subject for better understanding.
So to learn fast it is important to remember ‘FAST’ – by Jim Kwik (CEO and Founder of Kwik Learning)
And the final stage to master everything that is learned is to Practice.
Let me explain this final and important stage in detail.
According to Josh Kaufman (Author) in his book ‘The First 20 hours: mastering the toughest part of learning anything’ – there is so much to learn and so much craziness in this world that generally people feel they have no time for new things. So he researched this problem to answer the question –
How long does it take to master a skill?
His answer is 20 hours of intelligent and efficient practice.
Yes, please refer his book where he states, It just takes 20 hours to master a skill confidently. And anything beyond 20 hours will take you to become an expert level performer.
So practice enough to self-correct as over challenging, in the beginning, leads to procrastination. Remove practice barriers like phone, games etc. And remember along with learning FAST you need to Practice for 20 hours!!
Related article – love with learning
Happy learning!
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