The 10 principles to teach yourself anything:

10 principles to teach yourself anything

1. Theory is optional. Practical application is mandatory. Practical application rules the world. That’s what’s going to get you a job. It’s what will get your idea off the ground. What will get you funded. It’s what will make you money. It’s what will actually help people. Feel free to learn the theory too if that’s your thing (at times it can be fun), but never at the expense of learning what’s actually usable.

2. Showing up is just the beginning. It’s no longer enough to show up to class, do the homework and take the the tests. That’s table stakes. This is as true for formal education as it is for life. You must be willing to take what you learn and test, experiment and apply it to things that matter to you so you can see what actually works, what’s worthwhile and what’s a waste.

3. Put yourself in situations where learning is required to survive and thrive. If your job, hobby or passion doesn’t require you to constantly learn then something’s wrong. Make it a must and you can’t help but grow. Take the right risks and create the proper environment.

4. Learn who you are. Know your strengths, passions, weaknesses, talents, gifts, values, experiences, successes, failures. Dig inside yourself and test it all. I’ve spent the last ten years going to school on myself and I’m only just beginning. This is a constant.

5. Learn what you love. This is the next step in knowing yourself. Constantly pay attention to the things that excite you. Notice which people who inspire and motivate you to be a better person. Catch yourself dreaming about the business you wish you would have started. Find the tasks and jobs that you get absolutely lost in. Watch closely.

6. Learn what you hate. The “I hate to do” list can be just as powerful as the “I love to do” list. Notice the things that make your hair stand up on end. Know which activities and personalities make you want to vomit. Avoid these like the plague. It’s about taking the best of you and making it better. The world will be better for it.

7. Don’t take anything for granted. Go out and test it all. I’m talking everything. This especially goes for those lessons, suggestions and “social norms” that seem completely ridiculous. If something tells you there must be a better way, there likely is. Go out and find it. Should probably be questioned.

8. Record everything. What you love. What you hate. What you’re good at. What you suck at. What inspires you. What depresses you. Every emotion and lesson, positive and negative, write it down and understand how it’s forming your story and how you can use it to better learn and apply going forward.

9. Be careful who you learn from. My personal rule is: once three trusted and admired people recommend something, I do it. The only problem with our new world of self-guided education is that there is more absolute crap available to learn than ever before. There are tsunamis of books being published, blogs being created and courses being offered today. By default this means the sheer number of mediocre or downright bad content available is going through the roof. Your time and your mind are precious. Find a way to filter what you consume.

10. Analyze every investment. This and the above go hand in hand. Our time is priceless and our money comes in at a close second. For every dollar and every hour you’re investing, be sure you’re getting a return. That could be in the people you meet, the businesses you build, the skills you acquire, or anything that you attribute genuine value to. You decide.