After college, it’s very rare for us to actually sit down and put in the effort to learn something. The whole exercise seems daunting. Yet, with the recent New Year's resolutions still fresh in our minds, many of us are eager to embark on a journey of self-improvement.

Whatever your goal may be, the science behind learning is the same. Here are it’s core principles to help you out:

Break the elephant down

Navy SEALs use the "breaking down the elephant" method to tackle extremely difficult tasks by breaking them into manageable “bite-sized” parts. Like training for a marathon by creating multiple smaller milestones over a period of 3-4 months. Tiny goals and objectives like these take the fear out of learning something.

Every new endeavor will feel unapproachable until you break it down. Thankfully, in 2024 you don’t even need to break down something yourself. Take advantage of resources like ChatGpt to shorten the learning curve.  It can generate a customized learning plan for you in seconds.

Schedule but don’t time block

Time blocking and routines are inefficient. We’ve seen that time and time again. We’re humans and we can’t work on a clock all the time. The trick is to set a routine, but make it more flexible for yourself. Instead of saying ‘I’ll practice 2 hours in the evening’, set a general guideline to practice at least 2 hours everyday. Whatever the time is, you need to get those 2 hrs in. Doesn’t matter when. You’ll find that it's a lot easier to stick to a routine this way. 

Less prep, more ‘doing’

Most beginners get stuck in the rut of learning too much instead of just starting. Whether that may be doing multiple drills for a sport you’re learning or constantly watching tutorial videos. The truth is, you’ll learn the most by actually doing it. So go out and actually play that game, or play that song, or work on that coding project. There’s no substitute for hands-on learning. 

‘Pay to play’

Spending money is a huge motivator. Whenever you spend money towards a new habit, like paying for a gym membership or hiring a piano tutor, you make it necessary for yourself to go through with it.

No one likes to waste money. If you feel like you won’t be able to stick to something on your own, pay for a course, subscription or a tutor. The money you spent will become a powerful motivator and will compel you to be consistent and put in your best effort. 

Leave Mt. Everest to the climbers

Beginners get overwhelmed because they get interested in a skill by looking at someone who has already spent years on his craft. When they start learning it, they try and do the same things and find they’re nowhere even close.

That’s disheartening, but consider: You can’t take on the biggest challenge right away. For example, you won’t begin your mountaineering journey by deciding to climb Everest so you shouldn’t pick making a michelin-star level cake 3 months into your baking journey.

Get Taught By A robot

2023 introduced an array AI-driven tools make learning new skills more accessible than ever. AI's personalized learning is like having a personal tutor who understands your unique needs and preferences. It tailors your educational journey to match your pace, delivering content that resonates with your learning style.

For example, most guys don’t realize how powerful of a tool Chat-gpt really is…or how to prompt it correctly.

Try this prompt out: “Create a 4 day per week workout plan for me. I am a 21 year old male and play football and soccer regularly. My goals are to put on muscle and become faster. This routine should include all working on all muscles without putting on too much bulk.

We even use it to help write these blogs!

There you go,

Now, the crucial question: How long will this take? Research suggests nearly 10,000 hours to master a skill, but proficiency can come much sooner. It takes 21 days to adapt, 90 days for consistency, and within a year, you'll develop muscle memory and a solid mental framework for the skill. Best of luck on your learning journey!

-Forte Team.