The First 20 Hours

01Pick a project you're pumped about. The more you love it, the quicker you'll learn

Ever dreamt of strumming a guitar, speaking a new language, or mastering a new software? What's holding you back? Most of us would say it's either time or the fear of how hard it might be to learn. Josh Kaufman, in his book, throws light on a harsh truth: the best things in life usually need some level of skill. And skills, well, they need time and effort to master. Time is something we always feel we're short of, and the effort? It can seem pretty intimidating. We often say, "I'll do it when I have more time." It's an easy way out, and it's simpler to spend time on passive activities like watching TV or surfing the web. As a result, our dreams of learning new skills often remain just that - dreams. Kaufman also points out another hard fact: many activities aren't fun until you're good at them. Every skill has a 'frustration barrier' - a phase where you're painfully aware of how bad you are at it. It's a stage where you're likely to feel incompetent and frustrated. The thought of this barrier can scare many of us from even starting to learn a new skill. But what if there was a way to get past this frustration barrier faster? What if you could get to the fun, rewarding part of learning a skill quicker? What if you could spend less time feeling lost and doubtful, and more time actually enjoying the new skill? Kaufman believes that it is indeed possible to learn new skills in a less painful, more efficient way. Based on his own experiences, he introduces the idea of rapid skill acquisition. This is the knack of picking up new skills as quickly as possible. The goal is to help you learn new skills in record time, with less wasted energy. With focused, strategic effort, you can quickly reach a level of proficiency that allows you to enjoy the skill, without the frustration that often comes with learning. Kaufman introduces the principles of rapid skill acquisition, which are simple and easy to understand. He compares these principles to developing a 'temporary obsession'. This is a state where your curiosity and interest in a particular skill are so intense that other concerns temporarily take a backseat. These principles help you identify a skill that's worth this temporary obsession, focus on it, and remove distractions or barriers that could hinder effective practice. In the rest of the book, Kaufman expands on these principles of rapid skill acquisition. By understanding and applying these principles, you can learn new skills in a more efficient, less frustrating way.