Myself and my husband have always had one subject in which we are completely different and incompatible.

Our learning techniques.

I learn as per my needs. When I learned web design, I only learnt as much coding as was needed for the current project I was working on. Of course, over 15 years of designing websites and blogs this knowledge increased sufficiently. Same applies for graphic design and the use of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator (amazing platforms, but not very straightforward to use). Same applies to digital marketing. Same applies to music, dressmaking and performing I did as a child. I only learn what I need and as much as I need.

My dear husband, Les, doesn’t. He needs to understand the whole scope of subject first and then spend a lot of time learning all possible techniques and usages. Often this takes way too much time, and to me the acquired skills are hard to implement in the real life or the needs of our clients. I am not saying it is wrong. This is just what he is, and he has proved in his past that it works for him. He mastered the bass guitar so much that he had a reputation of the best bass player in Ireland in his time. When he went for his Masters in Music Technology, he has shown the best results ever in the history of the course and was offered a teaching position immediately.  He is one of the most skilled music producers out there, as per Jason Goldstein’s remark: “This man’s knowledge of music production is the most advanced I have ever seen” (Jason is a multiple Grammy winner sound engineer, based in New York).

However, in my opinion, unless your goal is to become the best at something, learning the fundamental principles and skills of anything does not need to require so much time and attention.

I wrote a blog earlier about the danger of outsourcing the stuff you have no clue about to other people and agencies. Mastering the fundamentals of everything you need gives you power to delegate confidently and retain control over the expectations and the results of what is being delivered.

Most Solopreneurs say “I have no time for this”, but I must stress that understanding every aspect of your business is the secret sauce of your success! Understand, and then hire people who play at what you have to work at. In other words, concentrate only on what you love doing, and get help doing things that take too much time or simply are not your cup of tea. BUT learn to understand them first.

Watch this short TEDx talk how to do it: