Learning Tips for the Top 8 Learning Challenges.

On Friday, I issued the 30-Day Learning Challenge for June, and you responded incredibly: more than 2,600 people have signed up, and the list is still growing!

As a thank you for joining me, I thought I’d write a couple bonus learning articles this month (in addition to what I’m creating for the Sea Change Program) — this one on tips for learning specific things, and another in a week or two from now. Today I’ll look at your top eight most common learning challenges.

Before we dive into specific learning challenges, let’s talk about some general ideas for this challenge:

• Set a specific time for your daily learning session. Block off 10-15 minutes (or more if you have it) and set reminders so you don’t forget.
• Focus on learning just one thing this month. Yes, I know, you have 10 things on your list. But for now, it’s better to stick with one.
• Find some free learning resources on the Internet to start with. No need to go crazy and buy a course or a bunch of books/DVDs yet. There are amazing free learning resources if you look for 5 minutes.
• Make yourself retrieve the information you’re studying. Don’t just read or watch videos — actually use it. Quiz yourself. Put it into practice. Do this regularly so you’re forced to retrieve it before you forget.
• Don’t be afraid of hard work. The best learning is difficult. If you only do the easy stuff, it won’t be meaningful learning and it won’t last long.

Now let’s dive into specific learning challenges!

Meditation

What a wonderful thing to learn! Here’s what I’d suggest:

• Find a really simple meditation technique if you’re just starting out. Simply sitting and counting your breath is a great way to start.
• If your mind wanders, try to notice the wandering. Gently return to the breath.
• A tip from my teacher, Susan: When you notice your urge to get up from meditation, don’t follow the urge, just sit there. The second time you have the urge to get up, don’t get up. The third time you have the urge, go ahead and get up. This helps you to notice urges and not need to act on them.
• Don’t be afraid to really work to concentrate on your breath. A lot of people allow meditation to be a time when they just sit and think quietly, which is fine, but if you really want to learn meditation, practice concentration. Put some effort into it!

Languages

I’m no master of languages, but I’ve attempted some learning and I’ve talked to people who are much better at learning languages than me (Benny and Tynan, for example). Here are a few things I suggest:

• Practice every day. If you can get into the habit of practicing for at least 10-15 minutes a day, you’ll get better even if you suck at it at first.
• Make yourself use the language. Don’t just listen or read, and don’t just repeat language tapes — actually find ways to use what you’ve learned. Talk to a language partner (you can find ones online), use it throughout the day whenever you get the chance, take online quizzes.
• Use the Anki flashcard system. It’s free, there are lots of language flashcard sets available on the Anki site, and its spaced repetition is the best method for learning available. Do your flashcards daily, even if you suck at first. You’ll start learning inevitably.

Programming

I’ve done a bit of learning with programming (dabbled in Python, PHP, Ruby, Javascript, all are good for beginners), and though I’m far from any kind of knowledgeable programmer, I’ve put in my share of beginner learning. And I’ve actually made some (very simple) working scripts and apps!

Some ideas:

• If you’re a beginner, start with a resource like Codeacademy. There are actually numerous courses online, all great — just make sure that they’re having you apply the knowledge they’re giving you, not just reading or watching videos. That’s why I like Codeacademy — they make you write actual code right away.
• Once you get past this stage (where you learned the basics of the language), you’re going to need to make some working programs. This is the hardest stage by far, because you know the basics of the language but not how to actually make a program work. Find some super simple projects to work on — a little beyond “Hello world” but nothing too hard. Just implement one feature of that project, and get it running. Then another. Force yourself to the knowledge you’ve been exposed to, not just read/watch some more.
• Internet searches are your best friend. Stuck on something? The answer is online — just do a search. Stack Overflow is a great place to find the answers to your question — it’s probably already been answered, so search before asking. But don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• After you make your first simple program, make something a little harder. One at a time, learn how to create a user database, how to make a login, how to display on a webpage, etc.

If you’re more advanced than this beginner stage, you don’t need my advice!

Drawing/painting

I’ve also dabbled in drawing, though I really suck at it. That doesn’t stop me from making suggestions!

• Sketch daily. Bring a pad around and sketch simple things you see.
• Watch a free online tutorial each day, and actually practice what you learned in the tutorial.
• Work on the basics: how to draw lines, circles, eyes, then faces. Practice the basics every day until your pencil control gets pretty good.
• Post your daily sketches online somewhere. You’ll be amazed at how motivated that makes you, and how much progress you’ll see over time.

Musical instruments

OK, I’ve never really learned to play anything, except piano as a kid (not very far). I’ve only dabbled in guitar, but my kids have taught themselves to play, so I’m obviously highly qualified to give out advice:

• Again, there are tons of online video tutorials. Watch one, then actually practice it!
• Learn three chords to start with: G, C and D. There are a billion songs with just those chords. Once you’ve learned how to do them, find a song that uses these chords and learn to play it! Using the knowledge will help solidify it.
• It takes a ton of practice to get even a little competent. That’s OK, keep at it! You’ll find it getting easier over time. When you do, learn a new chord and a new song.
• Play for your friends/family. Tell them you suck, so they don’t expect Stevie Ray Vaughan to show up in their living room, but playing for others makes you focus and really try to learn something.

HTML/CSS

I taught myself basic HTMl and CSS, and Zen Habits is a WordPress theme I coded myself. OK, it’s not that advanced, but the basic skills I learned have helped me a ton with my online projects. And it’s not hard to learn!

• Again, for absolute beginners, Codeacademy is a great place to start. They walk you through the basics while you actually put what you learn into practice as you learn.
• Build a basic site. Find a tutorial, and actually put a site online.
• Learn how to use your browser’s developer tools, and look at the HTML/CSS of really simple sites you like. Rip them off.
• I started with a free WordPress theme, put up a live site, and just kept making changes to the CSS until I liked the style. Then I learned to change the PHP tags of the theme until it was structured the way I wanted. Then I deleted a bunch of things (backing up my files first) until I had only the most basic things. Many themes these days use advanced PHP functions to make the site work a certain way … I recommend starting with the simplest themes you can, without a lot of custom functions required to make it work, because those are easier to understand.

Sports or martial arts

I don’t know anything about martial arts, and I recommend a teacher for that. But some of the things that apply to sports would apply to martial arts as well, I would think. What do I know about sports? Not a whole lot, though I’ve taught myself to be fairly OK at basketball, and I’ve taken up running, cycling, triathlon, Crossfit, and strength training at various times in the last decade.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Find some good online videos with the basic mechanics, even if you already know a bit about the sport. I’ve been watching basketball shooting mechanics videos, and it has shown me some things I’ve been doing wrong.
• Take what you learned in the videos and actually practice it. Do some drills. If you can, record a video of yourself practicing so you can watch the video and see where you’re going wrong. If necessary, post the video to an appropriate online forum for your sport, and ask people to tell you what you’re doing wrong.
• Play an actual game (or spar, if you’re doing a martial art). Don’t just do drills, but play in an actual game against opponents, even if it’s just a casual pickup game. Playing in a tournament or league is even better — it’ll force you to really practice, and you’ll learn much more. You’ll also find out where you’re weak and then you can work on those areas more.
• Be patient. The basics take awhile to master. Having a coach who can not only teach you drills and other techniques, but watch what you’re doing and make suggestions, is always a plus. But you can start out by yourself, trying to get some basic competence at the fundamental skills. That takes a lot of practice, but after awhile, you’ll start to get some muscle memory going, and it’ll be a lot easier. It’s like learning to walk: you’ll be shaky at first, fall down a lot, but eventually you won’t even need to think about it.

Subject like history or math

I’ve studied various subjects that interest me, but I don’t consider myself an expert (I’ve never gotten a PhD, for example). That said, I will make a few suggestions:

• Quiz yourself before you study something — yes, you’ll get a lot of things wrong, but it will make your learning even stronger, because when you get to the answers in your study, you’ll recognize them as things you don’t know and make some solid connections with that knowledge.
• Quiz yourself regularly. It helps to take a quiz right after your study session, but also a couple days later, and a week after that, etc. This regular habit of forcing yourself to retrieve the knowledge will be difficult, but will interrupt your forgetting and make the learning last longer.
• Again, use the Anki flashcard system. It’s free, there are lots of subject-based flashcard sets available on the Anki site, and its spaced repetition is the best method for learning available. Do your flashcards daily, even if you suck at first. You’ll start learning inevitably.
• Join a study group. There are lots of other people studying what you’re studying, and surprisingly, they’re online! This will help motivate you, help you when you get stuck, and deepen your learning because you’ll make lots of connections between what you’re learning and the interactions you’re having with people.

OK, there was some repetition in these different areas, but that’s great! It helps with learning, you know.

I’ll give you another article on learning in a week or two. If you haven’t signed up for the Challenge, do it now!

The Case for Replacing Exercise with Play.

The Great White Whale in the matter of framing new propensities, for a great many people, is activity.

Alongside eating your vegetables, reflection, getting great rest and stopping smoking, activity is presumably the most essential propensity change anybody can make.

But, a great many people battle with making an enduring activity propensity.

The arrangement is to supplant the "activity" propensity with play.

Keep in mind what it was similar to go outside as a youngster? I do, in light of the fact that I watch my children consistently. They circled, imagining they're warriors and wizards, ride their bicycles like they're flying, swing like they're going to take off for the stars.

Children couldn't care less about what they "ought to" do …  all they need to do is have a great time. Thus they play.

Why Exercise Sucks :

I really love exercise. I adore doing a weight workout, going for a run, doing a cluster of pushups. For me, its play.

Be that as it may, for a great many people, its tiring and tiring and uncomfortable and exhausting. At the point when this is the way you see the new propensity, you're unrealistic to stick to it for long. It's conceivable, yet just on the off chance that you have a fantastic measure of responsibility, inspiration, determination, responsibility. What's more, and still, after all that, its still liable to fizzle after briefly.

We hesitate regarding activity, notwithstanding when we know its beneficial for us. Notwithstanding when we realize that we'll feel better a while later. It sucks in light of the fact that its simply one more troublesome errand that we're adding to our effectively entire days. Also, notwithstanding when we don't have anything to do, the draw of computerized fun is much more grounded than the call of the circular machine.

Instructions to Form the Play Habit Instead :

In the event that we hate a propensity, we're not prone to stick to it for long. We support motivations to put it off. This is target reality: each and every one of us has done this, most likely commonly.

So what's the arrangement? Do we simply wave our hands noticeable all around and get constant sicknesses as opposed to working out?

No: we get moving, yet we make it fun. We transform action into play.

Consider the activity you've been putting off, and whether it seems like fun. Presently consider circling fiercely, moving to uproarious music, hustling your children or closest companion, taking a bicycle out to investigate your city or bicycle trails, doing a pushup rivalry with companions, bringing kickboxing classes with a gathering of relatives, running for a trek with your nectar, playing soccer or ball with companions.

For some of you, some (or all) of these will sound like fun! Maybe not every one of them are engaging, in light of the fact that we every have our diverse thought of what fun is. I like the thought of strapping a cluster of blocks to my back and doing pushups and bearcrawls and long-separation running/trekking, yet I may have an unreasonable thought of what fun is. Your concept of fun may be altogether different.

Whatever sounds like fun, do that! What's more, do it not on account of you "ought to" but rather on the grounds that you need to appreciate moving. Try not to attempt to hit a specific number of minutes, or any objective — simply play! Lose yourself in it. Make it the most fun you have throughout the day. You merit that sort of play break.

Give yourself little play breaks at distinctive times of the day. Set alerts to go take a 10-moment play break. Make it the prize toward the end of your workday. Let play set the tone for your morning, commencing a day of imagination by discharging your restraints.

Go wild.

Be unconstrained.

Let yourself free.

What's more, do it with an insane grin all over.

Framing the Habit :

In the event that you'd like help shaping the play propensity, go along with us in my Sea Change Program as we take a shot at the Get Active propensity. We're not attempting to shape the activity propensity, but rather to do a dynamic play every day.

Ocean Change is my system for shaping one propensity a month, and it accompanies articles, two or three features, a live feature webinar, day by day email updates, and a dynamic group of individuals supporting one another's propensities. Besides a substantial chronicle of past propensity modules.

Your Internet Habits Create Your Reality Towards Your Career.

Each of us has an alternate reality. What's more, we're making that reality, and can shape it from various perspectives.

We have a tendency to consider reality something outer and supreme, similar to the sun sparkling down on us on a hot, apathetic evening. That sun is truly there, whether we trust it or not, correct?

At the same time, as people, our existence is molded by what we see. So one individual will see the sun has overwhelmingly hot and severe, alternate sees it as an open door for an awesome tan. Another will see it as a colossal tumor machine. What's more, still another will think the sun is a furious god to be dreaded and served.

Those individuals all have altogether different substances, regardless of the possibility that the sun is unbiasedly the same for every one of them.

In that light, whatever you consider and do all the time shapes your existence.

Also, that is for the most part the Internet (and telephone applications), for many individuals.

In case you're on sites that discussion about how shocking the world is, and how gays and Muslims and women's activists are bringing on everything to go to damnation …  then that will be your existence.

In case you're on Facebook taking a gander at your companions' sustenance pictures or get-away photographs, that will shape your existence. In case you're on porn destinations, that is the thing that your world is. On the off chance that you take after individuals on Twitter who grumble constantly, that influences your life in a noteworthy manner.

What Internet propensities shape your world? Is that the truth you need? Can you shape it?

I don't have any answers here. Simply needed to impact your world a smidge.

When Others Frustrate You Don't be, So be Keep Happy.

There's a method for being that I'm attempting to develop in myself — to relinquish needing others to be a sure way.

Here's the issue: we all get disappointed with other individuals. We need our children to do certain things, our life partners to be less a concept that boggles any weak minded person, our companions to change their lives, our relatives to be healthier, other individuals to be less discourteous, and so on.

So what would we be able to do about this? It can make us insane, however we can't get it going. It's out of our control. Attempting to change others, needing them to be the way we need them to be, simply doesn't work. The option, however, is incomprehensible to a large portion of us: to simply give others a chance to be anyway they need to be. Notwithstanding when that pesters you.

Here's the method for being that I'm attempting to develop:

• To advise myself that I don't control others. 
• To advise myself that other individuals can experience their lives anyway they need. 
• To see the positive qualities in them. 
• To relinquish a perfect that I have that is bringing on the disappointment. 
• To see that when others are being troublesome, they are having some major difficulty adapting. What's more, to relate to this. 
• To recall when I've had some major snags, when I battled with change, when I've been disappointed. 
• To do what I can to help them: to be of administration, to tune in, to make them feel listened, to make them feel acknowledged. 

I'm bad at this yet, but rather when I discover my direction, it makes a difference. It makes me less baffled, it helps me to be more careful, it enhances my connections, it helps other people feel better. I wish this for every one of you.

A Simple, Powerful Self-Compassion Method.

When we're disappointed with others, or feeling awful about ourselves …  we regularly move in the direction of propensities that solace us:

• diversions 
• nourishment 
• shopping 
• smoking 
• drugs/liquor 

These don't frequently work, on the grounds that they have a tendency to exacerbate us feel over the long haul. We get to be unhappier, more focused on, and after that need to look for solace in these things again …  and the cycle proceeds.

These are some of the time the main ways we know of ameliorating ourselves! I know this on the grounds that for quite a while I generally swung to the majority of the above for solace when I was feeling focused on or terrible about myself. It made me exceptionally unfortunate and it took quite a while to change my examples.

Today I'd like to propose a system for self-sympathy that I've been realizing, that has worked miracles.

The Self-Compassion Method

Attempt this now in case you're feeling pushed, baffled, in agony, frustrated, irate, on edge, stressed, or discouraged:

Notice. Pause a minute to turn internal and notice your agony in this minute. Presently see where it is in your body, and how it feels. Depict the agony to yourself in physical terms, as far as quality, as far as shading or shape or movement.

Acknowledge. Presently let yourself know that its OK to have this torment. It's splendidly OK to feel terrible about yourself, to feel awful about your body, to feel baffled with another person. Let yourself feel the torment.

Solace. Presently treat this agony with empathy, similar to you would with a companion who is enduring, or your youngster who is in torment. Be tender with it, kind to it, similar to an affliction kid. Solace it. How might you comfort your companion whose guardian simply kicked the bucket?

Grin. At long last, have a go at wishing your torment well, wish it joy. Give it cherish. Grin at your torment in sympathy.

This technique takes a great deal of practice, without a doubt. Despite everything i'm learning it myself, and I don't claim to be a specialist at self-sympathy. Anyway, I've discovered it to be genuinely astonishing, in light of the fact that we infrequently do this for ourselves. We're great at being benevolent to others when they're having a troublesome time, maybe, however not generally with ourselves.

Furthermore, it can be transformative. On the off chance that you hone sympathy with your torment, it turns out to be to a lesser degree a weight. You understand that its provisional, you feel less terrible about being disappointed. Also, you feel adored — without anyone.

The Time When We'll Be Present & Content.

Today, I just have questions.

We're making progress toward joy and happiness, however when will we be there? I think we regularly see a period later on when things will be better — we'll have a superior relationship, occupation, house, wellbeing circumstance, monetary circumstance, and that's just the beginning. Anyway, when will that day come?

What's preventing us from being substance at this time?

What's preventing us from being available at this time?

A significant number of us can indicate outer conditions that hinder being available (some issue on our brains), or that impede being upbeat and substance. All things considered, the things that are halting us are all inside us. We can't relinquish issues and be available. We are baffled with ourselves, with others, with our circumstance, with the way the world is, and we can't relinquish wanting to appear as something else.

The impediments are inside us.

Thus, wouldn't we be able to release them?

Also, can't the time for satisfaction be correct this moment.

Step by Step Instructions To Beat Procrastination With Daily Training.

We all do it: our best goals are to go to the rec center, begin on composing something, do work on taking in a dialect …  yet then we stall.

There isn't a man on this planet who's invulnerable to the lingering propensity.

How would we overcome this propensity? Generally as a competitor would, or a world-class chess player: every day instructional courses.

The issue, obviously, is that we're prone to put off the sessions!

The main path around that is to 1. discover your inspiration, and 2. begin as simple as could be expected under the circumstances.

Make it so natural you can't say no, and figure out how to not let yourself say no.

Here's the way:

Focus on doing day by day 5-10 moment unprocrastination instructional meetings. Tell somebody you'll give them $100 (or do something humiliating, perhaps) on the off chance that you miss a day.

Set an update for first thing in the morning, when you more often than not begin work or study. At whatever point you open your PC, fundamentally. A major note close to your PC is a smart thought.

When you open your PC, before you do whatever else, do your unprocrastination instructional meeting.

This is what you do: pick an undertaking you've been stalling on, clear aside everything else, and do that errand for 5-10 minutes. That is it. You can stop after that.

Notice when you have the desire to switch errands, to do something simpler or more agreeable. Delay, watch the urge, let it go. At that point come back to the undertaking. Try not to let yourself switch.

That is it! Do this every day for a week, then increment to 10-15 minutes. Do that for two weeks, and on your fourth week, increment to 20 minutes. You'll be a stone star following a month of preparing.