Whether you want to sharpen your skills for a trade you can make a living off of or you want to impress people with a creative hobby you do on the side: learning a new skill can be difficult. If you have problems with motivation, aren’t sure where to start, or aren’t even sure which hobby to pick: it can all seem a little overwhelming.
Here are the steps to start learning a new skill and improve your life in spades.
Pick The Right Skill
What type of skill do you want to learn? Is this something creative, like learning an instrument or figuring out how to draw, or is it more technical, like blacksmithing? If you’re undecided, think about how much space you have within your home and around it, and try to figure out what you can fit within that space. Learning how to build a shed isn’t a great option if you currently live in a rented apartment. Likewise, if you have room and endless imagination, why not focus on something big? The worst that could happen is you have a new hobby.
Set A Schedule
This is easier said than done, and anyone who’s worked from home or been self-taught in any form can attest to it. Take the time to plan out a realistic schedule for yourself to follow. Don’t overload on hours, or try to impress others by practicing every other day. Instead, space it out to maybe three hours three times a week, for no longer than an hour per time.
There are multiple charts online that say they know the secret to how many hours of work you need to perfect something, but they aren’t always right. Everyone is different and needs different things than other people may need.
Make Reasons To Follow That Schedule
Your schedule may be hard to stick to if you’re the only one holding yourself accountable. Ask friends or loved ones to help keep you on track. A great inspiration is a deadline, like promising to play an instrument for loved ones or having your partner keep you accountable for finishing a manuscript within a specific timeframe.
If your new skill is something complex, like flipping houses, you must research and practice heavily before looking at Birmingham homes for sale for yourself.
Compare Yourself to How Far You’ve Come!
Usually, after people have a loose grasp on understanding what they’re doing, they may find themselves at a crossroads about what to do. They can continue, and keep improving, which is a hauntingly long task, or they can be happy with the progress and leave it at that.
If you’re feeling this roadblock, now’s the time to go back and see how far you’ve already improved. Try to play a song that was hard for you in the beginning if you’re learning an instrument, or set your new art and old art side by side to compare. Having a visual reference for how far you’ve come will spur you on toward more growth.