1. Plunge
Spend 2-3 hours consuming as much as you can from the works of experts. Listen to their advice, study their work, try to extract actually insight into their methodology rather than just passively consume.
2. K.I.S.S
Attempt to create or perform a massively simplified version of their work. Do this a couple times. Try to focus on just one or two simple things at a time.
3. Proof
Use what you make. Don’t throw it away just because it isn’t perfect.
4. Compare
Conduct a thorough analysis between your work and the work of someone with more experience than you. It could be someone five steps ahead of you or 1 step ahead of you. What is the same? What is different?
5. Reason
Once you come up with a few points on where your work could improve compared to theirs, try to come up with a hypothesis on why your mistakes happened. How can you do better next time? Review materials from step one if you need to.
6. Isolate
Chose one thing from your list of mistakes for your next attempt.
7. Repeat
Use your hypothesis. What tweaks can you make to correct your mistakes. Make the attempt and do it soon. Rapid iteration is the key.
Connections
Link Explanation:
These are two important sides to the same coin of skill acquisition and learning. This note relates to the intense focus that is need to challenge yourself in order to improve. The linked note is the other side - relaxation. Relaxation is needed to give the nervous system enough time and space to make adaptations.
Reference
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