There’s a way to practice efficiently and it applies to anything. Do you want to learn a language? Do you want to learn how to draw? Just 20 hours is enough to become “reasonably good” at any skill.
The major barrier to skill acquisition isn’t intellectual, it’s emotional. The mental barrier for learning a new language is much harder to overcome than the physical obstacle.
What you basically need to do is to get curious about something and dive in and learn through trial and error and become reasonably good at it. The 20 hours is basically about 45 minutes a day for about a month. You start from grossly incompetent and with a little bit of practice, you get really good and then at a certain point you reach a plateau and the subsequent games become much harder to get.
How to invest in the 20 hours to get really good?
There’s a method to get really good and there is a way to practice intelligently.and efficiently.
- Deconstruct the skill – Break the skill down into its most basic parts. Which parts are necessary for hitting the goal you have? If your goal is to speak Persian, you can primarily focus on speaking and watch videos that improve your speaking skills like Talk Like A Persian Movies . If you are planning to learn to read and write in Persian, you start practicing Persian Alphabet first.
- Learn enough to self correct – Learn enough to realize when you’re making mistakes. Pick two to three resources to use to self correct and become an independent learner. Here you can access a Persian Dictionary .
- Remove barriers to practice. Turn off your phone and unplug the TV. Keep all the resources that you need to study and practice handy.
- Practice for at least 20 hours. Commit to 20 hours from the start. You’re going to be frustrated at times, so committing beforehand will help you push through the frustration.
References
Kaufmanm, J. (2014) The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast. Penguin Publishing Group.