Thinking Man's Corner

Article By: Leo H.

So. Here we are. My next installment. So much for the promise to myself to write something every month. My new promise is to finish… sometime. I think I will be able to manage that one.

Perhaps it is ironic that this endeavor concerns “Lack of Focus.” Here, I suggest focus to be defined (when it relates to training) as an organized program intended to achieve specific success in a particular event or skill. Having a “PLAN.”

You cannot just go to the range and shoot. Well, I guess you can… but, you cannot just shoot and hope to get better at any shooting skill beyond loading magazines and pressing triggers. There must be a WHY (necessity)? Followed closely by a HOW (train)? A plan must then be designed to correctly and consistently DO (practice) what we have learned. This program must be run until we have achieved WHAT (measurement)?

Once upon a time, while conducting research for a lesson plan and looking for videos to promote specific concepts, I came across an excellent example on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY). Not only is the video worth the 20 minutes you would have to be willing to spend in order to watch it… but, it will lead you to the book, “The First 20 Hours – How to Learn Anything… Fast!” The book is an outstanding read and is a welcome addition to my own personal library. The remainder of this entry explores (in a nutshell) the learning principles introduced by the book.

In my mind, the guiding principle behind learning process efficiency requires you to practice intelligently. Your practice sessions must be deliberate and focused. You must practice only what is actually necessary in order for each training session to be an efficient experience. And… you must be prepared to invest at least 20 hours to learn the skill.

The first step requires you to break down the skill. What do you need to be able to do at the end of your training plan? That’s the WHAT. Having determined exactly what lies at the end of the trip determines the road that must be travelled. Have you ever attended a class or event and, when reflecting at the end of the session, you have wondered what the purpose of the day had been?

Break the skill into essential components. Know what must be learned in an order of identified priority. To shoot well… you probably do not need to know gunsmithing skills. But… you might need to know why the weapon is not functioning as it should be and how to get it back up and running in a moment of need. What… EXACTLY… do you really need to know?

Next, you must learn enough to be capable of self-correcting mistakes you might make along the way. Here is where you learn just enough to be able to determine whether you are following the right path. It may require coaching or mentoring so you do not just become proficient at doing it wrong. There is some substance to the old “crawl… walk… run” philosophy as very few folks are capable of running well without having learned of balance and how to overcome gravity first.

How does a baby learn? They find a model. They observe the model. They attempt to duplicate the desired action. They fail. They learn from the experience of failure. They attempt the task again. They find a method to defeat identified obstacles… roll on the floor, pull on the table, and create elaborate methods to accomplish simple tasks. Eventually, they master the skill and move on. Be like your kid.

When my daughter asked to be taught how to ride a bike I was overjoyed. Here was an opportunity for her dad to demonstrate his vast capability as a legendary trainer. “It’s what I do, Baby Girl.”

I had a plan. We talked about balance and momentum (maybe not in those words). I pushed her down the walkway twice. I complimented her on her ability to roll a few feet without crashing. I had to pee.

A short time later (when I came back outside to crank up the learning process), I found her riding her bike in circles like she had been doing it for years. Surprised, I asked my wife what had happened while I was inside. She responded, “While you were gone she taught herself to ride a bike.” Well, no ….!

I had been cheated. My great plans had been blown out of the water. How had this happened!?

The answer; she heard just enough to prevent herself from crashing and taught herself how to ride in ten minutes. She possessed the ability to self-correct. As sad as it may seem to the ego of a trainer, most of the folks belonging to these new generations do not require instruction ad nauseum… All they need is initial guidance in a form such as Jack Webb would offer in his statement of, “Just the facts,” and then get out of their way while the learning takes place.

The next step in mastering your new skill is to remove whatever barrier might have placed itself in your way. In our busy world there are many things which can hinder daily progress. I suppose the biggest obstacle I deal with personally is the element of time. What is yours?

Considering time. In the book by Tim Ferriss, “Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons and World-Class Performers,” scheduling appointments with yourself to accomplish specific things at specific times is mentioned so many times I could not count them. So… if you want something bad enough, you will make the time. My best excuse shot to pieces with just a couple of words.

We all let things get in the way. There is no way to get around them except by dealing with them directly. Want it bad enough not to let anything stand in the way?

Finally, there is this. Do. The. Work. Spend at least twenty hours of planned and focused practice learning your new skill. The best laid plans still require specific individual effort for progress to occur. Replace excuses with achievements. Move forward. Excel.

I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught. – Winston Churchill

Semper Optimum!