Post: #1

Ever since I can remember i've always been terrible at anything practical based. Even if someone showed me how to do it or gave me instructions i'd still struggle to carry out the task.

Recently I started a kind of apprenticeship, i've managed to get through the theory side of it relatively comfortably but the last few weeks we've had some practical based short courses to complete, i managed to pass one of them, but failed one of them due to just not being able to do the practical tasks. This was firstly very frustrating and secondly annoying as i'm now going to have to pay to retake the course out of my own pocket.

So just thought i'd start a thread asking if there's anything you can do to help improve your practical skills. As with these short courses i'm currently undertaking there really isn't the time to practice something over and over again.

Post: #2

Could you be less specific?

"Doing stuff" is a little niche.

Post: #3

What would happen if you perform the same task, in your garage alone, watching a youtube video on how to do it?

Some people just have a learning disability when it comes to people teaching them things but really excel when alone and left to discover things on their own.

I can rarely follow a lecture regarding when someone is talking or trying to teach me something, but put in me in a garage alone and give me schematics and I can build or repair just about anything.

Post: #4

(12-20-2015 06:21 PM)LINUX Wrote:  What would happen if you perform the same task, in your garage alone, watching a youtube video on how to do it?

Some people just have a learning disability when it comes to people teaching them things but really excel when alone and left to discover things on their own.

I can rarely follow a lecture regarding when someone is talking or trying to teach me something, but put in me in a garage alone and give me schematics and I can build or repair just about anything.

I prefer learning stuff on my own. Watching youtube videos on my own is actually how I learnt to do some of the things needed.

Post: #5

(12-20-2015 06:29 PM)tylerdurden1993 Wrote:  I prefer learning stuff on my own. Watching youtube videos on my own is actually how I learnt to do some of the things needed.

Then there you go, you just learn differently. In the old days, this was called "self taught". There are a lot of people out there like you.

Post: #6

I look at it differently:
No one becomes great by doing what he does worst.
If you don't have practical skills, it is a shame, but not the end of the world.

Go and work on your strengths. If you want to improve, decide what practical skill you want to improve and work it first. When you are confident move to the next one.

Post: #7

Linux nailed it. the phrase 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink' was pretty much created to describe my experience with formal education.

In my experience, for most things, if you want to be good at them and you're wired like we three appear to be, the solution is to find a source of information you trust - book or video, and just get started. You'll quickly realise when you're making a mistake because things won't look how they are supposed to, and you'll be able to identify which step took you away from reproducing the design/result you're after.