Three Factors in Mastering
a Skill.
How well we are able to perform a task is governed by our raw aspects,
technique, and psychology.
If you want to learn a skill or craft, you should be aware of three factors
that influence your abilities to excel at that skill: the raw aspects, your
technique, and psychology. The easiest way to explain these three categories
is through an example, fighting.
The raw aspects are basically things you naturally have or are born with, in
terms of fighting, that would be something like reaction speed, strength, and
speed. These are raw aspects of being a good fighter, you can improve them to
some degree, but some people just aren’t going to be as fast as others.
Technique is something we have a lot more control over. In a fight, it involves
how efficient you are in your attacks, do you know kung fu, have you been in
fights in the past. Taking a martial arts lesson would improve your technique
in fighting.
Finally, psychology. This is your mindset and much more. In a fight, are you
able to read your opponent, are you afraid of getting injured, can you bring
yourself to kill or hurt someone when necessary? This are things that a lot
of people aren’t aware of when fighting until they’ve actually been
fighting. It can be changed, but it requires a lot of work in those areas.
Let’s consider another example, drawing. The potential raw aspects would
be hand-eye coordination, working memory (ability to recall details of what
you are trying to draw), and actually having fingers. Technique is fairly obvious,
how much you draw, the styles of drawing (absurdist, realist, cubist), and knowledge
of pencils and shading. Things you could pick up in an art class. Finally psychology,
what is your motivation for drawing and can you stay motivated to keep drawing,
scope or emotional depth for the drawing, or trying to find meaning in life
through the art.
The short comings in one area will cause hindrances in the skill you are trying
to learn. If you aren’t physically able to fight, you won’t be able
to fight well. If you’ve never learned how to draw, your art work will
look pretty lame until you do. If you don’t have the motivation to draw,
your body of work will never be very big.
Also short comings can allow for others to manipulate you. A master martial
artist in their old age lacks the endurance of a young man. A savage brute can
be manipulated by someone smarter. The greatest mind in the world cannot stop
a fist that is already in flight. This is more in the realm of political or
military practice. But it can be applied to relationships and business as well.
A military that doesn’t have the necessary troops to fight can’t
fight. If the troops don’t have the weapons or the technical know-how
to use those weapons, they’ll be defeated by a force that can. Lastly,
troops without the will to fight may run away.
Just something to think about the next time you’re trying to take up a
new hobby.