Learning skills and learning ideas

Learning a skill is not that different from learning a new idea. When we learn a skill we simply have to do it and keep doing it. We do not learn how to ride a bike, by seeing a bike, watching a video on its correct operation and taking a test on how to use it. We learn by getting on the bike and trying to ride.

When we learn a new theory or idea, the process is the same, but rather than appearing in actions it appears in words. The first is saying “I don’t know” – this opens us up to hear what the person is explaining. The next step is to ask “what does that mean?” until you find a satisfactory understanding. The second phase is about finding context. Refusing to name the idea or categorize it is the third step. In this stage, it is ideal if we can try to picture the idea, diagram it or write it in a different form. After you get used to it in the third stage, the final step is to explain the idea – sharing something with someone else is the ultimate way to practice our new understanding.