Skip to content

How to Get Better At Anything

Better Title

RTFM

RTFM WTFM

  • WTFM, Write The Flip'n Manual
  • Do a lightning talk about it :)

Make it Fun

Surprised Koala Trophy

  • Gamification
  • Trophy anyone?
  • If it can't be made fun, make it fun.

Practice

I've practiced a lot

  • Slowly with intent
  • Pressure cycles: none, some, actual, intolerable.
  • The practice of practice deserves its own talk.

Better not good

Good to Better Chart

  • Good is the killer of better.
  • People tend to stop because good is unreachable.
  • People tend to stop after they're good enough.
  • If we aim to get better, we'll eventually be better than good.
  • Progressive goals. OMG! I forgot goal setting!

Learn, don't Memorize

One does not simply memorize PI

  • Learning is understanding
  • Understanding is connecting the new thing to an old thing.
  • Computers memorize. You're not a computer.

Learn with others

Google Hug

  • With the Internet you're never alone and always alone.
  • Actually talk with people!

Cheat

One does not simply memorize PI

  • If you're not cheating, you're not trying.
  • Reverse engineer the cheat, don't actually cheat!

How I got better at Vim

  • RTFM - :help
  • WTFM - Blogging, figure out other people's problems :/
  • Practice - Wrote stuff that wasn't needed immediately, my own notes.
  • Don't Memorize - Vim has grammar like English. Oooh... Reconnection!
  • Learn with Others - We have vim users, teach them (but don't let them know you're only one step ahead)
  • Cheat - Look at other's Vimscript to figure out that cool thing they did.

What do you want to get better at next?!?

Comments