Ep 21 | How to Follow Your Dreams by Learning One Skill Per Year (with Ravi Gupta)
Jul 12, 2023
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Ravi Gupta shares his journey of learning one skill per year, from powerlifting to novel writing. He provides a roadmap for anyone looking to pursue their dreams. The podcast explores the benefits of video analysis, the process of refining writing, and strategies for language learning. It also touches on book recommendations and pursuing dreams later in life.
Dedicating oneself to learning one skill per year can lead to mastery and personal growth.
Building a community around a new skill can provide support, connection, and lasting relationships.
Having a wide range of activities and sports can contribute to better overall skills and adaptability in new pursuits.
Deep dives
Year One: One New Skill Per Year
In this podcast episode, the guest, Ravi Gupta, discusses his approach to learning new skills. He explains that he focuses on one skill per year and dedicates himself to mastering it. For example, in his first year, he focused on powerlifting. He joined a crossfit gym, attended camps, and built a community around his new skill. By the end of the year, Ravi not only gained strength and proficiency in powerlifting but also formed lasting connections with fellow enthusiasts.
Year Two: Screenwriting and Unexpected Success
In his second year, Ravi delved into screenwriting. He attended a scriptwriting camp in Hawaii and wrote his own script. Despite the challenges of isolation and the onset of COVID, Ravi's commitment paid off. His script garnered attention from industry professionals, leading to representation from a major Hollywood agency and multiple writing opportunities. This unexpected success reinforced Ravi's commitment to his annual skill-building approach.
Year Three: Surfing and the Thrill of Learning
The following year, Ravi turned his attention to surfing. He embraced the physical and mental challenges of the sport, spending time in Costa Rica and utilizing wave pools to enhance his learning experience. Ravi's dedication to mastering the intermediate level of surfing brought him a sense of achievement, community, and personal growth. He highlights the thrill of progressing from a beginner to an intermediate skill level and the joy of continually learning something new.
Finding the Right Tennis Coach
The speaker found a former professional tennis player and Davis Cup coach of Costa Rica who agreed to teach him tennis as an experiment. The intense coaching and focus on footwork and coordination helped him pick up the sport quickly.
The Importance of Diverse Sporting Backgrounds
The speaker attributes his ability to excel in tennis to his experience in playing various sports throughout his life. He highlights how skills and techniques from sports like basketball, football, and powerlifting translated to his performance in tennis. He also mentions the book 'Range' by David Epstein, which suggests that having a wide range of activities and sports rather than specializing in one from a young age can lead to better overall skills and adaptability.
Ryan sits down with Ravi to discuss his Imbroglio piece One Skill Per Year.
Each year for the past five years, Ravi has followed a regimen of intense focus to successfully learn one skill:
2019: Powerlifting
2020: Screenwriting
2021: Surfing
2022: Tennis
2023: Novel writing
Ravi presents a roadmap for anyone who has always wanted to learn something, but never got around to it. If you’ve got dreams about things you’ve always wanted to do - it’s not too late. Take Ravi’s advice and make them happen.
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