Every time we do, think, or experience something, we fire a route in our brain, which would be made up of circuits and pathways. Our brain will reinforce a circuit if it fires enough times in the appropriate way. This will allow us to fire it more rapidly and precisely. "What fires together, wires together," neuroscientists said.
A nice approach to think about all of this is to consider the term "your brain is like a muscle," which we've all heard before. It's a cliché, but it truly touches on four crucial aspects of learning that are supported by research:
1. To make a change we need action
2. To make a change we need to struggle
3. Making a change takes time
4. Everyone can change
ACTION
- I can't just go to the gym and watch someone work out and expect to get stronger. That would be fantastic - but that isn't how it works.
- I can watch and learn from their form and technique, which is quite beneficial. But, in order to perceive change in myself, I must put in the effort.
Learning should follow the same logic.
We can observe, listen, and watch. We can learn 'how to' accomplish something, as well as tactics and procedures used by others — all of which are essential and necessary. However, the best method to improve your talent is to fire the pathway, and the best way to fire the pathway is to do it yourself.
This is straightforward. We're aware of it. But we forget it from time to time.
We improve our writing skills by writing frequently. And if we want to improve our public speaking skills, we need to undertake more reps and at-bats. Every ability has its own own road to mastery, and we must fire it in order to improve. Observation can help us learn new things. We must take and maintain action in order to develop the talent.
STRUGGLE
For a workout, you and I go to the gym together. We do the same exercises, but you use weights and I don't. Who gains from the workout the most? The answer would be "you" because we're taught at an early age that in order for our muscles to grow stronger, we need struggle. The same principles apply when it comes to change our minds.
If we both want to improve our public speaking skills, and I spend all of my time training in front of the mirror while you practice in front of others.
People will define two types of strategy
- struggle as little as possible and grow as little as possible.
- More hardship equals more growth when you take this strategy.
We need to stress the system in order to induce change, whether we're attempting to grow a muscle or a talent. But people sometimes oversimplify the learning process and say things like, "If you want to get good at anything, just do it a lot."
That is partially true, but a mountain of evidence shows that the quality of our practice is just as important as the quantity. Working out is basically purposeful struggle, and we can learn to do the same while we're learning new skills.
PATIENCE
When it comes to transform our bodies (becoming stronger, bigger or in better shape), we all know that it doesn't happen overnight — we wish it did, but we know it doesn't. So, when we wish to make a physical change, we must be patient because we know it will take time. We need to take the same approach to skill development. We try something once or twice, don't see results, and conclude, "Well, I guess I'll never learn it."
That's like doing one set of squats and expecting results the next day. "Wait, what?" says the narrator. Isn't it true that I'm not bigger? "I guess I won't be able to develop." We know that muscle needs action, struggle, and time. The same criteria apply when it comes to improve our skills.
Patience is crucial in this situation. In a week, no one goes from bench pressing simply the bar to bench pressing 150 pounds. We progress from 20 to 25 to 25 to 30 to 40. It will be the same when learning a new talent.
Developing a skill takes time, but it does not forever hours. Of course, mastering a skill takes years, but with the appropriate type of practice, we may learn enough to be dangerous in a matter of months or even weeks.
WE ALL CAN BE BETTER
The truth is that most of us aren't having intention to become fitness coach or bodybuilders. However, if we exercise, we can make any muscle stronger.
It's the same with education. We won't all become specialists in every talent, but we can all improve in almost any one of them. We can learn almost anything with enough time and effort.
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