Let’s say you are watching a youtube video. A youtube video that shows you how to wear a tie. Assuming that you have no prior knowledge of how to tie a tie, do you think you will acquire that skill by watching the video. Nope! I wish I have that kind of magic in me. Unfortunately, we are all humans. There is only one way to do it.

First, you have to buy a tie, if you already don’t own one. Next, you gotta stand in front of the mirror, have the video on by the side. Try to follow through the video step by step. If you make a mistake, you unwrap it and try again. After 10 attempts or so, it gets a little better. Maybe at the 15th attempt, you jump up in joy because you finally got it.

Not just tieing a tie, you can’t learn a skill without practicing it. Think about this, can you build your muscles just by watching your trainer workout? Can you learn pottery by watching a video? Remember all the skills you possess today, right from riding a bike to reading this piece of text. You learned it by practice.

Don’t stop before starting. Pick up that skill you want to acquire, practice every day until it finally clicks.

Originally published at https://thelearning.dev.