8 important skills to learn in just under 8 hours each
Parent Post
How did Bill Gates,
How did Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Warren Buffett, Barack Obama, and Oprah become top-performing individuals?
They dedicated a lot of their time to learning various skills that allowed them to be where they are today. They are not more intelligent, they just dedicate more of their time to learning the most valuable skills.
You can learn valuable soft and hard skills in about 15 to 20 hours of practice.
Here are 8 skills that are as applicable today as they will be years from now, and you can be good enough in it in under 8 hours of practice — one full workday!
NegotiatingHow do you learn
Negotiating
How do you learn it?
For centuries, people and organizations alike have thrived by mastering the art of negotiation. Without good negotiation skills, businesses stand no chance. True negotiation is about creating win-win situations for both parties. Next time you think about a negotiation situation, think win-win.
What most people don’t realize is that we negotiate almost daily. A lot of our interactions with other people are about negotiating. Once you realize that negotiation is a skill that needs practice, you’ll start to find many scenarios around you that are good practice.
How can it change your life?
- If you are salaried, it will help you negotiate a better salary and benefits.
- If you are trying to find a job, you’ll know better what they are looking for and adapt to your interviewer.
- In your personal life, you’ll handle conflicts better and likely have fewer of them too.
- When haggling in markets, you’ll be able to get better deals.
- You’ll get more clients to say “yes” to you in business.
- The most important benefit is that it improves your confidence.
Coordination and FlexibilityHow do
Coordination and Flexibility
How do you learn it?
Having coordination and flexibility is one of the most important parts of living a healthy life. And without being healthy, it’s hard to even think about the previous skills.
Practice stretching exercises for 15 minutes every day for 24 days or do 8 sessions of 1 hour of practice at a yoga studio or home for 30 minutes over 16 days. And what’s great about these is that they can be done from anywhere and require no equipment or minimal equipment.
How can it change your life?
- This skill will open the doors to more physical activities.
- The more coordination and flexibility you have, the easier it will be to perform any sport or physical activity.
- Your heart rate lowers, heart muscles relax, and your blood pressure flows evenly and smoothly.
If you are ready
If you are ready to change your life for the better, not only temporarily but for the rest of your life, squeeze in 15–30 minutes of practice a day.
The consistency and repetition will make it a habit, and it will be so much easier to learn them.
8 timeless skills. 8 hours each.
That’s only 64 hours that will change your life forever.
MeditatingHow do you learn
Meditating
How do you learn it?
If you are a beginner, it is best to opt for guided meditation. It helps you get greater clarity of mind, which is what meditation is about. You learn to be aware of how your body and mind feel. You learn to relax, even when you feel like you’re too nervous to relax.
The important thing to realize is that it takes time to learn it. Don’t try once and leave. Meditate at least once a day for at least 10 minutes. The more hours of practice you put into it, the easier it gets.
How can it change your life?
Long term benefits of meditating include:
- Better quality of sleep.
- Clarity of emotions, body, and mind, leading to better decision-making.
- Faster content switching skills.
- Reduced stress.
Learning to LearnHow do
Learning to Learn
How do you learn it?
This is the basis of every other skill you’re going to learn for the rest of your life. Learn smart. It takes less than 20 hours of “smart” practice. The idea is that you learn the 20% of the material that will yield 80% of the result. To learn anything in life, you have to work with your brain. You have to make your brain work for you. We have limited time on this planet before we’re gone. The faster and better you learn, the more you’ll thrive.
How can it change your life?
Learning new skills:
- Increases your motivation.
- Makes you more adaptable, relatable, interesting.
- Helps you get better jobs and earn more money.
Forming good habitsHow do
Forming good habits
How do you learn it?
Forming good habits is a powerful tool to increase your motivation for doing anything. Bad habits, on the other hand, can be extremely dangerous for your life.
The best way to keep your habits in check is to be accountable for your good or bad habits. Find one or multiple people to report to regularly. Find someone you don’t know that much, or at all. They’re less likely to sugarcoat it for you and will be less lenient. Habits, contrary to beliefs, are not located in the same area of your brain as your memories. Astonishingly, and consequently, people with learning disabilities can still form habits. That’s also how you can never truly unlearn to ride a bicycle.
How can it change your life?
- You start to see a positive change in your life.
- You learn something new every day.
- You sleep better, eat healthier and live a more fulfilled life.
- You’re more motivated to get rid of the bad habits and become more driven.
Mathematical ThinkingHow do you
Mathematical Thinking
How do you learn it?
At its core, learning mathematical thinking is the same as what you do in school, you practice sample problems. The difference now is that no one is forcing you to do it, plus you are aware of the real-world benefits of doing it. Keep practicing, and it’s discrete mathematics and many other branches of math that develop your analytical and reasoning skills.
How can it change your life?
- Helps in increasing your analytical and reasoning skills.
- Helps you make better-informed decisions, including during negotiation scenarios.
- You’ll run businesses more efficiently.
- You’ll be a better manager and make more money because you’ll know how to manage them better.
- You’ll be more productive simply by knowing how to better analyze your time.
WritingHow do you learn
Writing
How do you learn it?
Like any skill, you learn by doing. But here’s a trick most people don’t do: write publicly. You learn better when people can see your work. It forces you to dig deeper and do your very best. It gives you accountability. You get feedback from others and improve based on it. Create a blog and publish it regularly and consistently. Write 300 words a day in 30–45 minutes in 12–16 days and publish on Medium.com or your blog.
How can it change your life?
- Writing helps you define your voice.
- It helps you get clarity on who you are and who you want to become
- It has the power to change both your life and that of others.
- You learn to become a better storyteller, a crucial skill both in life and business.
Public Speaking How do
Public Speaking
How do you learn it?
Seek opportunities to speak in front of groups and start with people you’re comfortable with, like your friends and family. Talk about subjects you’re passionate about. When you talk about the things you love around people you love, the nervousness doesn’t kick in. Recognize that it won’t be perfect the first time you tell a story. Take notes of people’s non-verbal reactions. Notice people’s interest level with each sentence you say.
Public speaking is all about refining your stories. When ready, attend Toastmasters events. Do talks at your workplace. Do a TEDx talk. The sky’s the limit!
How can it change your life?
- Build confidence.
- Raise clarity, necessity, energy, productivity, influence, and courage.
- Improve your vocabulary and speak with greater clarity.