Outside formal study.
HOW TO START
"I want to learn [skill]. I know nothing about it. What should I learn first, in what order, and what should I practise?"
Then work through it, asking questions.
FOR REVIEWING YOUR ATTEMPTS
"Here is what I produced. What is wrong with it?"
Ask for problems, not praise.
WHAT IT CANNOT REPLACE
Practice. Reading about a skill is not having it.
THE SCEPTICISM TO KEEP
In an unfamiliar field, you cannot evaluate the explanation.
Verify against a proper source for anything that matters.
FOR TECHNICAL SKILLS
Test everything. A confident explanation of a command that does something else is a real risk.
FOR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Verify against the actual syllabus and approved materials.
THE HABIT THAT WORKS
Learn, attempt, get feedback, attempt again.
Not: read explanations indefinitely.
