---
title: "How to Get Better At Anything"
date: 2017-02-07
created: 2017-02-07T00:00:00Z
type: blog
status: settled
publish: [ddrscott]
source: import
prompt: "Import from blog post: 2017/how-to-get-better-at-anything.markdown"
---

# How to Get Better At Anything
<img src="/images/better.jpg" alt="Better Title" />
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## RTFM
<img src="/images/rtfm-wtfm.jpg" alt='RTFM WTFM' />

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

## Make it Fun
<img src="/images/koala_trophy.jpg" alt='Surprised Koala Trophy' />

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

## Practice
<img src="/images/ive_practiced.jpg" alt="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
<img src="/images/good_to_better.jpg"  alt="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
<img src="/images/one_does_not_memorize_pi.jpg" alt="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
<img src="/images/google_hug.jpg" alt="Google Hug" />

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

## Cheat
<img src="/images/inspect_source.jpg" alt="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?!?
* lightning talks?
* Shuffling cards? (@devin)
* [SQL?](http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.6/static/index.html)
* [Drawing?](https://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Right-Side-Brain-Definitive/dp/1585429201)
* [Piano?](http://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/chapter_1)