If you've been wanting to learn  skill or even strengthen existing ones, here are the seven tried-and-trued strategies I used to boost my expertise—and how you can, too.a new

1. Set clear goals

2. Adopt a growth mindset

3. Use active learning strategies

4. Use different learning mediums

5. Learn from someone with more experience

6. Practice

7. Take frequent breaks

Why is it important to learn new skills? 

I could write an entire article devoted to this question, but that's not why you're here. However, if you'll entertain me, here are three of the most compelling reasons I keep yearnin' for more learnin'. 

Brain fitness 

When I get out of bed, my body makes so many snaps, crackles, and pops you'd think I was pouring milk over a bowl of Rice Krispies. That's why my main goal for working out is simply to build enough strength and mobility to keep moving efficiently—and with fewer aches and pains. The same mentality applies to learning a new skill: I view it as a fun way to keep my brain sharp and healthy for as long as this world will have me. 

Career flexibility and advancement 

If you've spent any time on LinkedIn, you've likely seen your fair share of stories detailing rescinded job offers and layoffs. And if you, like me, have been fortunate enough to keep your job, you may have asked yourself, "How can I make myself a critical part of this team?" This is where having a diverse set of skills can be a true asset. 

Let's take Zapier's secondment program, for example. To meet Zapier's 2023 hiring needs, a full team wasn't required. But to avoid laying off a portion of our Talent Acquisition team, Zapier was able to leverage their various skills and experiences to add value to other business-critical departments. 

Confidence boost  

I haven't pored through the research, so you'll have to trust my gut (and yours) on this one. But think of what it takes to even approach learning a new skill. It often means stepping out of your comfort zone and pushing past any self-doubt. That knowledge alone fills me with a sense of pride and accomplishment—and I hope it does for you, too.  

strategies to help you learn new skills

If you've ever struggled to learn something new, let's get one thing out of the way: you're the furthest thing from alone. Even the "greats" struggled their way to the top. Now that we're on the same page, let's dive into the seven strategies you can use to learn a new skill or enhance the ones you already have.  

 Set clear goals

There's an episode of The Office where one of the main characters, Michael Scott, literally declares bankruptcy to make all his money problems magically disappear. But as his colleague points out, "you can't just say the word 'bankruptcy' and expect anything to happen."  

Similarly with goals, simply saying (or declaring) that you're going to learn something, doesn't just make it so. Instead, set a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound), so you can get clear on what you're trying to achieve.