How to Learn a Skill

Almost everyone has something they want to learn, whether it's French cooking or concrete forming. Many of those people will never actually learn either of those things, for the same reason. They don't know how to get started. Or they heard classes were expensive or hard to find. That's a sad state of affairs.

Anyone can learn anything they really want to, and usually it can be done inexpensively. I'm not talking about brain surgery or skydiving- some things really do require professional instruction for the safety of everyone. Everything else follows the same process, and here it is.

Decide on a Project

Saying to yourself "gee, Vietnamese food sure is tasty. Learning which ingredients combine to make those flavours would be interesting," will not motivate you. On the other hand, deciding that this weekend you're going to make Pho is a project. It has steps to take, and an outcome. Same thing with thinking crochet is neat as compared to deciding you need crocheted dishcloths for your kitchen. Once you have a finished item you can imagine, you've made the mental shift from interest to learning even before you've actually started.

Maybe what you really want to make is extremely complicated, or overly large. In that case, you may want to do a small scale version first to master techniques you'll need.

Do Some Research

Use the net, go to the library. Find a recipe or a set of plans for something similar to what you want to do. Read forums and see what experienced people recommend. Make a list of tools and materials, and the steps you'll need to take. The recipe or plan doesn't have to exactly reflect the outcome you're after, it just has to be close.

You might be short on tools or materials. In that case, figure out where you can rent or borrow them. Most cities have a tool library these days, and Craigslist, Kijijii, or Freecycle are great sources too. Ask your friends if they know where you can find whatever you need. People love to problem solve- ask around and you'll find tons of folks who want to help you!

Watch videos on YouTube. Besides the amazing number of cute cat videos, YouTube is a vast repository of instructions for every subject imaginable.

Now that you have a general understanding of what you're going to do...

Do It!

Get dirty. Take those lists you made of the plans or recipes and walk through them. Take your time, Read the instructions along the way. In a lot of cases, you might not understand why you need to do X before doing Y. Try doing it your way first to see what happens.

As you work your way through the project, write down the steps you took and how you did it.

Fail

Yep. Fail. That's what I said. It'll happen. Things burn, wood gets cut too short, circuits don't work. Meh. Things are messy or rough or too spicy or just plain wonky. It ain't the end of the world! You now get why X comes before Y. Think about what you did, and try to figure out where you went wrong. Check the steps you wrote down as you went to see if you missed anything.

Do It Again!

Luck might be with you, and you can undo everything and start over. That's great- back tracking will let you see exactly where you went wrong. If not, well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Your analysis of the process and results from the mistake leaves you in good stead to improve things this time around. Knowing what not to do is half the battle, and a second or third attempt is usually 10 times better than a first.

Succeed!

Give yourself a high five. The end product might not be professional quality, but it's yours. Own it. Take pictures and post it to Facebook or Instagram or on one of the forums you found doing your research. Tell people it's your first try and let them congratulate you. Because they will: the world loves a beginner. Enjoy being showered with positive comments.

Pick a New Project

Had fun the first time around? Awesome! Decide on a slightly more challenging project and go to it! Discovered that what you were doing is not for you? Pass on the tools to someone who can use them, and find a new skill to try.

CAVEAT: You might have decided to learn something potentially dangerous. That's great. If you:
-worked on your own car
-did anything to do with electrical, plumbing or construction (eg, built a deck)
-modified a piece of machinery in any way

GET A PROFESSIONAL TO CHECK YOUR WORK BEFORE YOU TURN IT ON! 

[image borrowed from brandonvaugn.com]