The First 20 Hours

Outline

The First 20 Hours (2013) argues that you do not need ten thousand hours to become reasonably good at something new. Josh Kaufman explains a method for rapid skill acquisition: break a skill into smaller parts, learn enough to self-correct, remove barriers to practice, and commit to at least twenty hours of focused effort. He demonstrates the approach by learning skills such as programming, yoga, and playing the ukulele.

• You do not need ten thousand hours to become reasonably good at something new; a much smaller, focused effort can get you there.
• Break a skill into smaller parts so you can practise one manageable piece at a time.
• Learn just enough about a skill to start practising and correct your own mistakes as you go.
• Remove the barriers that stand between you and practice, so starting is easy.
• Commit to at least twenty hours of focused effort before judging whether you can learn a skill.

Josh Kaufman is an American author and business educator known for making practical knowledge accessible. He became widely known for The Personal MBA, a self-study guide to essential business concepts that has been used by readers around the world. His books include The Personal MBA and The First 20 Hours.