Want to learn how to do something? Here are four steps in the right direction:

1. Read what experts say about how to do what you want to do. For instance, when I wanted to use structural equation modeling (a set of computer statistics), I read a book on the subject. When I wanted to lose 2 kgs., I read online articles on how to do that.

2. Observe an expert model do what you want to do. My son learns to play songs on his guitar by watching YouTube videos. I show my undergraduate students how to give an oral presentation by showing them a YouTube video.

3. Practice. I once had a client who was severely impaired cognitively because of a bad case of an infectious brain disease. He was a mail sorter, and I took him back to his work place to see if there was any chance that he could return to sorting mail — by looking at zip codes and tossing letters into one of 50 large bags arrayed in front of him. When we entered his fellow employees hugged him in joy and let him try his old job. Even though he could not maintain a conversation, he rapidly tossed letter after letter into the correct bag. I concluded that the skill he showed was stored in zillions of places in his brain — due to practice over many years.

4. Get feedback. When I tried to make myself into a runner, I usually ran on a treadmill that gave me precise, instant information about my speed and distance. That information, combined with my level of fatigue/suffering, told me exactly how I was doing and gave me good hints about when I could press my body to do more.

What have you learned using these methods? What would you like to learn to do? Do you see how you could use written instruction, modeling, practice, and feedback to help you?

John Malouff, PhD, JD
Assoc Prof of Psychology