How to learn a new skill: a plain plan you can start today

How to learn a new skill: step by step

You do not need a course or special equipment to begin. You need a target, a plan and a regular slot.

1. 1Pick one skill. If you want to learn several, choose the one that matters most this season and park the rest.
2. 2Say why. Write one sentence on why you want it. This helps you decide what to learn first and what to skip.
3. 3Describe 'good enough'. Write what you want to be able to do in three months, in a form you could show someone: 'order a meal in Spanish', 'build a simple web page', 'play one song all the way through'.
4. 4Break it into parts. List the smaller things the skill is made of, and pick the one or two that come first.
5. 5Choose your learning sources. Pick one or two, such as a book, a course or a person to learn from, rather than ten. Too many sources means you never practise.
6. 6Book your practice. Choose a short slot you can keep on a normal week, for example 20 minutes after dinner, and write it in your diary or on a weekly planner.
7. 7Practise by doing and testing. Spend most of each session using the skill, not reading about it, and test yourself on what you have learned (more below).
8. 8Review once a week. Ask what went well, what felt stuck and what you will change next week.

The weekly planner is a simple place to put your practice slots. If you are learning for work, the professional development plan below pulls the whole thing onto one page.

Ways to practise that work

How you practise matters too. A 2013 review by John Dunlosky and colleagues looked at ten common study techniques. They rated two as high utility: practice testing, and distributed practice. The authors wrote that these two helped learners of different ages and abilities and boosted performance across many kinds of task. They rated rereading and highlighting as low utility, and suggested practice testing in place of rereading.

That review was about students' learning, so it does not prove the same result for every adult skill. But the two ideas are simple, they cost nothing and they fit most skills.

• Practice testing means pulling the answer out of your own head. Close the book and write down what you remember. Use flashcards. Explain the idea out loud. Do the exercise before you look at the solution. For a physical or creative skill, this means doing it, not watching someone else do it.
• Distributed practice means spreading your sessions out over days and weeks, instead of one long block. Four sessions of 20 minutes across a week, for example, rather than one session of 80 minutes the night before.
• Come back to older material. Each week, spend a few minutes on something you learned earlier, before it fades completely.

Short, regular sessions are also easier to keep up. If you want them to run on autopilot, the guide to building good habits shows how to tie your practice to something you already do.

Learning a skill as an adult

Learning as an adult has its own shape. You may have less spare time, more on your mind and a clearer sense of what you want the skill for. You can plan around all three.

• Plan for small slots. Twenty minutes you actually do is worth more than a free Saturday that never comes.
• Tie the skill to something real. A language is easier to keep up when you have a trip, a friend or a film to aim at. A work skill sticks when you use it in an actual task.
• Expect to feel clumsy. Being a beginner feels odd when you are good at other things. That feeling is part of the start, not a sign you should stop.
• Learn from someone a step or two ahead. A friendly colleague, a class or an online group can show you what 'good enough' looks like.
• Use what you know already. Skills overlap. Think about what you can already do that gives you a head start.

If you are learning because you are changing direction at work, the guide to changing career at 40 covers that bigger step. You can start a skill at any stage, but only you can decide which one is worth your time.

When you get stuck

Everyone hits a flat patch. Progress feels slow, or you stop improving for a while, or you lose interest. Some questions help.

• Is the target too big? Shrink it. Pick one small part and practise only that.
• Are you only reading or watching? Switch to doing. Test yourself, make something, or ask someone to check your work.
• Is the session too long or too rare? Try shorter sessions, more often.
• Do you know what 'good enough' is? If not, go back to the step where you wrote what 'good enough' means and write it down.
• Is the fear of looking bad stopping you? Practise somewhere safe first, on your own or with a friend. If you notice you are holding yourself to a perfect standard, the growth mindset worksheet can help you think about mistakes as part of learning.
• Do you keep putting off the first move? Try the procrastination worksheet.

If your goal is still fuzzy, the SMART goals worksheet turns it into something you can measure. The guide to setting goals goes deeper.

When to get more support

Sometimes the block is not the skill. If you cannot get going with anything because you feel low, flat or exhausted most days, or stress is taking everything you have, that is worth taking seriously. A GP is a good first step and can talk you through your options. If the skill is for a job and you feel stuck, a trusted colleague or a careers adviser can also help.

This is a self-help tool, not therapy. If you ever feel unsafe or have thoughts of harming yourself, call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), 988 (US), or find a line at findahelpline.com. You deserve real support, not just a plan.