How To Acquire New Skills

How To Acquire New Skills

About Science and Art of Learning

Science means rules, formula, process,
Repeatability, reproducibility, scalability

Art means uniqueness, unrepeatability, creativity,
an unknown formula, an unknown process of production,
extremely difficult to reproduced and scale.

A computer program is an art for a musician
A piece of unique music is art for a computer programmer.

Something which is extremely difficult for one
to produce is fun for others. How and why?
Because that person has learned
the science behind the subject.

If you learn the basic rule and formula of drawing fine arts
or music then it is less art and more science for you.
It is fun and while dancing on the board
you can draw the best picture

If musician learn how to think the way
computer processes code
then it is science for him to write code.
While talking to his friend
he can develop a new algorithm.

Where do we learn science?
Initially our parents, teachers, mentors,
experienced professionals teach this to us.
They also teach us how to pay attention
to the surrounding so that we can learn the rule on our own.

All training institutes, schools, colleges, universities
helps us downloading that science to us
which either they have developed,
or received from the previous generations
or peers around them.

To learn the art of a profession
there are few places
but to learn the science of a profession
there are many places.

After we have learned
the old science of the profession in the classroom,
There is a life before us to discover new science
from the art (complexities) of our profession.

Initially even riding a bicycle is art.
After learning the rules, it becomes science.
It looks anybody can do it.

So in every science, there is an art for us,
which we are not able to comprehend

And in every art, there is some science for us
which we can easily teach to others
Repeat and produce exactly the same outcome as before.

But learning does not end,
when we have understood all the rules of the profession
Learning takes new heights
then we start observing new patterns on our own

Sometimes we see such patterns
which nobody observed before
This is called removing the cover lying on some art
Once we remove the cover it is a discovery
And now it is no more art for you
Now, it becomes science.

What is science today,
Was miracle for most of the human sometimes back.
But it never happens that today’s science
will become the art of tomorrow.

Once we know how it works then
There is no magic, no hidden rule
Any person willing to put efforts to follow the steps
will be able to reproduce
that which is expected by the process.

Therefore, when in class we pay most attention
To learn the rules of the profession
Whether art or engineering or medical
or music or programming
Whether a teacher is boring or interesting
Keep your subject live in your mind.

Apply your common sense
And observations to assimilate
what is being explained
Then experiment with that rule to experience the outcome.

When you are done then you have
assimilated the basic rules of the profession

Sometimes if you sit near a giant master
Of the profession, you will learn
Such rules which only he knows
Because he observed it by doing
It is not written anywhere

If you learn those rules then
your life becomes easy
because you need not discover that jewel again.

Unfortunately many of the people
In the profession don’t pay much attention and time to learn the rules
They want to finish the work in hand by hook or crook
Make money, get awards and recognition
But not ready to learn the basic rules or processes.

If we don’t know even basic rule then
where is the scope of observing patterns of a new problem?
In this situation forget about
scope of developing your own rules,
Those rules, which you can share with
your colleagues and family members

Just copy-pasting text
from one window to another window, doesn’t help.
Storing file on the hard disk or on bookshelves doesn’t help
Things will always remain mysterious for you.

Just because you have seen some video
or read text doesn’t give you the confidence
that you have learned the rule.

There are many high tech gadgets around us or in our hand
And we don’t know how it works!
Neither people are interested in learning
Nor it is possible for all to learn all.

But there must be one field in our life
For which you know most of the rule
It has become a science for us
And, we still enjoy that profession
Because we still see some patterns there
which we didn’t know before

Many experts in our field don’t know about those
But we can do that like an artist
Sometimes an artist puts a stroke on the canvas
and a beautiful piece comes up.
Not because he wanted to make good art,
But because he has perfected the science so much that
He cannot make a mistake
And someday, If he deviates from the science
then the product is a fantastic art

When you are engaged with nature in such a way
then Life is fun, more joyful and playful

Life becomes boring and tiresome when
It rolls from month to month.
From one customer to another customer,
From one delivery to another delivery,
From one paycheck to the next paycheck.
From one promotion to another.
From one birthday to the next birthday.
From one Friday to next Friday party.
This way we look excuse to celebrate
the moments of life.

But when you are committed to the process
where converting art to science is a game of every moment
then every moment is a thrill.
Every moment is a festival and joy.

Hari Om Tat Sat
Yours Truly Hari