3 Stage Model of Learning
Cognitive - Understanding, breaking shit down. Associative - practicing, getting feedback Autonomous
Rapid Skill Acquisition
Deconstruct skill into subskills. Learn enough to practice intelligently. (w/ proper feedback) Reduce barriers. Practice most important subskills for at least 20 hours.
Principles of Effective Learning
Research skill and related topics. Jump in over your head- into the confusion. Identify mental models and hooks. Imagine the opposite of what you want. (failure modes) Talk to practitioners to set expectations. Eliminate distractions in environment. Use spaced repetition and reinforcement for memorization. Create scaffolds and checklists. Make and test predictions. Pay attention to limits (honor your biology).
Increase sources of feedback. Reduce friction.
Mental hooks: analogies and metaphors used to remember new concepts. Scaffolds: structures that allow you to approach the skill the same way every time.
Barriers Significant pre-practice effort. Intermittent resource availability. Environmental distractions. Emotional blocks.
Skill Acquisition Process
Choose a lovable project (intrinsic motivation) Focus your energy on one skill at a time (commitment/prioritization) Define target performance level. Deconstruct skill into subskills. Obtain critical tools (what you need to practice) Eliminate barriers to practice. Make time for practice (prioritization). Create fast feedback loops. Practice by the clock in short bursts (pomos, double-pomos). Emphasize quality and speed.