Tufuga Media

Sorry for the lack of updates last week, I was rather busy!

I’m certain nearly everyone has been asked at one time or another, “How did you learn to do that?”. It seems that people are programmed to expect an answer containing some form of formal education, such as a class, workshop, university, or on the job training. However, I find that 95% of the things I do that people are interested in are things that I learned to do on my own – there is value in learning things on your own. I’d like to share you some thoughts on being “self taught”.  I am self taught via the web, so my tips are for those looking to teach themselves through online resources.

Choosing a skill/topic

Before you start learning, you need to figure out what you are going to learn.  For me, these topics come naturally, but her are some things you need to think about before you start teaching yourself about a certain topic.

Passion

Lets face it, if you dont care about something, you’re not going to spend your time researching it or developing skills around it.  I want to learn how to use Cinema 4d, a 3d animation package.  However, my interests have been moving away from motion graphics lately, and I have just never “found time” to learn it.  Not finding time is nearly the same thing as having no passion.  Think about it.  If there’s something you really want to do, you naturally make time to do it.  If you cant find time to do something, check your passion before checking your calendar.

Utility

How often will you use this new skill?  Another thing I’d love to learn is how to speak Mandarin Chinese.  I think this would open up great opportunities for me, but guess what?  I don’t really have a great NEED for Mandarin Chinese right now.  People I work with in China speak English.  This is a skill that would be nice to have, but not one that I NEED at this point.

Another reason it’s wise to pick a topic that has utility is that you can set aside more time to learn it.  I have been increasingly interested in web design, social media, and marketing.  It is no coincidence that my current task at work revolves around web design, social media, and marketing, or that side projects I am working on are web design projects.  I can afford to spend time learning new skills because it directly applies to what I’m doing.

Scope/Ability

Pick a realistic task to learn.  ”Learn to build a house” might be a pretty cool thing to master, but I can hardly operate a hammer.  Perhaps learning about architecture would be a good starting point, or even teaching myself to build a toy chest.  By setting smaller goals, you will prepare yourself to take on the grander goal.

Skills and tools

I’m sure this list isn’t comprehensive, but here are some skills and tools that I consider essential for learning on your own.

Searching skills

Image via Wikipedia

If Google was a dojo, I’d be a blackbelt.  I didn’t realize using a search engine could be a skill until I started watching the way other people use them.  I felt like taking over the computer and searching on my own.  The ability to search quickly and efficiently can not only save you time but bring you interesting results that others may not find.  I’m not going to go into HOW to search, but I suggest you learn to do it.

Searching mindset

People sometimes approach me at work with a technical question.  Sometimes, I dont know the answer, so while the person is standing there, looking at my computer, I type their question into Google and find the answer for them in seconds.  I believe that some people dont even think to search for their answer.  If you always rely on others for your information, you will be waiting a long time to get the skills you want.

Experts

I know I basically said not to rely on others, but talking to someone who knows a lot about what you want to do can be a great way to start your learning journey, and then give you reality checks along the way.  Sometimes, I dont even know what to search about on a certain topic.  Experts can recommend things to look in to.  Also, along the learning journey, it is helpful to talk to experts to see if what you are learning has realistic application, or is valid.

RSS Feeds

Here is a tool that saves you hours of time.  Instead of visiting all of your favorite sites one by one, let the sites send you updates that you can read on your own schedule.  Watch this video to learn more about RSS feeds, it does a much better job of explaining than I can.

Reading techniques

Learn to skim over webpages and articles, then read in depth when you need to.  Think of it like snorkeling vs diving.  Snorkel around, looking at everything quickly from above.  When you see something of interest, dive down and look at it up close to see all the details.  Skimming pages is a skill that comes with practice, but is extremely valuable for learning on your own.

Collection system

Eventually, you will find something that you like.  This needs to be kept in some sort of a collection system, or filing system.  You can save files to your hard drive, print articles to put in a physical file, keep bookmarks in your web browser, whatever works for you.  I like to use Evernote, a free application which takes notes.  The nice thing about Evernote is it stores everything in the cloud, and my information/notes can be accessed from multiple computers or devices.  Very convenient.

Playground

It’s critical to have some sort of space to test the knowledge you have been acquiring.  You can watch Photoshop tutorials all you want, but until you open up Photoshop and start playing around, you will NEVER learn Photoshop.  Find a way to use what you have been learning in a real world environment.  Doing helps you retain the knowledge you have acquired by applying it to a problem solving task.

Anything else?

I’m actually hopeful that I get several comments on this post.  What other methods or tools do you use to learn things on your own?

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