A Mug of Insights 037: The Quickest Way To Master Any Skill
Jan 14, 2026
This discussion challenges the traditional idea of learning from the basics first. It reveals how this approach can overwhelm beginners and hinder progress. You'll learn about the value of starting with exciting projects instead of tedious drills. The conversation highlights how even experts revisit the basics, illustrating that mastery is an ongoing journey. Practical tips are provided to cultivate sustainable learning, emphasizing that curiosity and experience should guide your skill development.
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Revamping A Newsletter Forced New Skills
- Robin describes learning many new skills while rebuilding his newsletter and site on Ghost.
- He learned Photoshop, HTML, e‑commerce, and copywriting while designing the reader experience.
Basics Are Invisible To Beginners
- The value of basic drills is invisible to beginners, which makes starting with fundamentals demotivating.
- Robin Waldun argues that basics often make sense only after a motivating project reveals their purpose.
Masters Revisit Basics With Purpose
- Advanced practitioners repeatedly return to basics because they can now see their value.
- Robin cites John Coltrane practicing one note hundreds of times after achieving mastery.
