How to get good: Perfect practice when things are imperfect

Summary

Practice can bring you fulfillment beyond your chosen field. But have you ever gotten stuck while learning something, to the point that you no longer enjoy it?

In How to get good, author Paul How guides you on what to expect once you commit to learning, with all its ups and downs, so that you could optimize the experience.

The first section of the book examines the mindset necessary to acquire a skill, emphasizing processes rather than results. Next, How delves into techniques for better memorization of your subject matter.

The final section on ‘Action’ discusses how to best apply what you learn in order to lessen anxiety and maximize enjoyment.

Although coming from the perspective of a musician, How’s philosophy encompasses all education. Learning, he says, is not something you stop once you become an adult; rather, it is key to continuously finding meaning in life.