​There are many different skills one can learn in life.

Some are portable, and can be taken wherever you go.

Some require tools, some require hands, some required specific knowledge.

If you know how to bake a cake, you can do so in any kitchen provided you have the right ingredients.

If you know how to juggle, you can do so with any objects of a certain size. Bean bags, eggs, shoes, wadded up pieces of paper.

Some skills are worth a lot of money, while other skills are a lot fun.

Some skills are considered “meta” skills. These are higher order skills that make other skills possible.

For example, if you had decent skills of learning (which EVERYBODY does) then you could learn any skill you wanted to, so long as you had enough time, motivation, and any required equipment.

One way to motivate yourself is if that skill in question would get you paid, or any kind of positive social recognition.

It’s been said that if you spend only one hour a day on any particular skill, and practice with intention, within a year you will be in the top 1% in the world.

Consider something like photoshop. A highly complicated piece of software. There are people who have been using photoshop for YEARS. But have they been learning for years, or did they get to a certain level, and stay there?

Continuous learning requires ALWAYS pushing your limits. For example, if you wanted to be a world class juggler, you would ALWAYS need to be pushing yourself.

You wouldn’t stop at three eggs. Or small objects. You would always PUSH YOURSELF beyond what you could do.

Next time you see some world class juggler on YouTube, ask yourself this question:

“How many balls did that guy drop in his lifetime to get to that level of skill?”

When you practice is also crucial. Just the other day I was at a stoplight. This guy, who was practicing his juggling skills, ran out into the middle of the intersection, put on a quick juggling show, and when the light changed, ran back to the sidewalk.

Was he perfect? Nope, he dropped plenty. But everybody honked and clapped when he was done.

Everybody had a smile on their face, including me.

I’d bet that in a year or so, that guy’s going to be a FANTASTIC juggler.

He’s not afraid to fail in front of others, while EVERYBODY is having a good time.

Another meta skill (That YOU have) is communication.

The better you can communicate with others, the more you can get. Whatever it is you want.

Will it always be perfect? Nope. Will you say foolish things that make people look at you funny? Yep.

Communication, like any other skill, will improve the more you practice.

And if you practice not just for a year, but for the rest of your life?

Amazing things will happen.

Learn More:

Interpersonal Resonance