
7 Tips To Learn A New Skill
Whether you are looking to boost your job prospects, enhance your personal development, meet new people, or simply improve your knowledge, there are many compelling reasons to learn a new skill. No matter how old you are, the benefits of developing new skills are well-documented and include:
- Self-confidence
- Professional advancement
- Cognitive benefits
- Socialising and networking
- Personal fulfilment/achievement
- Mental health
However, if it was that easy to learn a new skill, we would all be doing it. But the reality is that life and work can often get in the way. Crucially, most people say that time and motivation are their biggest obstacles when it comes to embracing the chance to learn new skills. That’s why it’s important to put together a proper plan to ensure you use your precious time effectively.
1. Set your learning goal
The first step is to set a realistic learning goal. For instance, saying that you want to learn to play the piano provides no definitive or clear goal. There are many levels of ability when it comes to mastering piano techniques and they can take many years of consistent practice. It is far better to break it down into a clear, achievable goal, such as focusing on a favourite piece of music that you would like to master.

2. Set short-term objectives
Sometimes the end goal can seem a long way away, so it is important to break down your learning journey into smaller, more achievable steps. This will not only help maintain your motivation but also provide a great way to monitor your overall progress.
For example, learning an easier, shorter piece of music to begin your journey, will provide a sense of achievement that can help spur you on to your ultimate goal.
3. Find a guide
When you start your learning journey it can be difficult to know where to start. So, whether it’s a teacher, online educational platform, college, or mentor, you need effective, expert guidance along the way.
Experts will also be able to break down your learning journey into easy-to-understand bite sized chunks. This will ensure you don’t waste time focusing on areas that are not relevant to your ultimate goal.
For example, the popularity of online poker has grown in recent years, leading to many people learning the game for the first time. Expert advice can steer players away from easily avoidable mistakes and ensure they maximise their gaming enjoyment. Tips include good bankroll management such as starting small and not chasing losses.
4. Create the right environment
Learning requires the right environment, whether it be a quiet, clutter free room away from noise, or a park to practice your football skills in. Whatever your learning space looks like, it needs to be free of the many modern-day distractions we all suffer from. That means phones off and focusing on the task at hand.
5. Create space in your daily routine
Finding the time in a busy schedule can often be the biggest barrier to learning new skills. That’s why it’s important to create a realistic learning plan that you can adhere to.
Blocking out certain times of your day to focus on studying will help you manage your time better. But be realistic, overestimating your available time can lead to guilt and a drop in motivation should you end up missing your scheduled learning time.
6. Be creative with learning opportunities
There are lots of ways to build learning opportunities in to your daily routine, such as listening to podcasts or watching relevant TV programmes on your daily commute. If you are looking to learn a sport then joining a local club is also great way to practice and pick up extra advice and tips from other players. It will also allow you to meet other people who are on the same journey and help with motivation.
Whether you are learning to garden, learning a new sport or game, or trying to improve your IT skills, volunteering your time at an organisation or club could allow you to practice your skills and learn on the job. The more opportunities you have to practice, the greater your chance of accomplishing your goals.
7. Embrace failure
Learning a new skill inevitably involves making mistakes along the way. Some people often perceive mistakes as failure and suffer a lack of motivation and self-esteem as a consequence.
However, making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn and can be incredibly beneficial tool. For example, practicing a foreign language can often lead to errors, but mistakes can help you figure out where you went wrong and learn how to fix them.

Conclusion
Sometimes, learning a new skill seems like an impossible idea, but by following these simple tips, you too could be reaping the countless benefits that come with expanding your knowledge and skills.