Meta-skills

Quick Note: Some of you may have noticed the name change. Starting today, we have evolved from Not For Hire to The Voyage.

Why the name change? When I first started writing Not For Hire in November 2021, I had no idea where the direction of my writing was going. I initially planned on writing strictly entrepreneurial content. However, over the last 93 blog posts, the focus has shifted away from purely business and more toward life as a whole. After some reflection, it was clear that Not For Hire was not the best representation of what the content entails, and I wanted something that better fit it.

So why The Voyage? Life is a voyage. It is a journey through time where we encounter foreign places, new experiences, and much more. We are all together on this Voyage.

Is anything going to change? Not really. We are still sticking to our regularly scheduled programming.

Let me know what you think of the change!

Now, let’s get into today’s post.

A meta-skill is an overarching skill that improves your other skills.

Some examples of meta-skills include critical thinking, speaking, resilience, and active listening.

So, why does this matter and should you care about improving meta-skills?

The best way to explain this is through an example. Let’s say for the next 60 days you focus on improving your critical thinking ability. You focus on solving puzzles, thinking up out-of-the-box solutions, reading books on the topic, and being aware of the faults in your current mode of thinking. At the end of those 60 days, you will make better decisions. Now where in your life can you benefit from making better decisions? Essentially everywhere. Better decision-making will make you more effective in business, in your personal life, and in your emotional life. Improving decision-making improves your life. That is the benefit of focusing on meta-skills.

So, now that we understand what meta-skills are and why they are valuable, how can we improve them?

The way you improve a meta-skill is dependent on the skill you are trying to grow. So, there is not a one size fits all solution. However, there is a framework.

1. Skills are like muscles. They must be exercised to improve. If you want to become a better speaker practice speaking. Record yourself talking and review it. Practice. Practice. Practice. If you want to improve your critical thinking play chess or other puzzle games.

2. Research. Read books on the topic. Watch lectures or listen to podcasts. Talk to people who are knowledgeable on the subject. If you want to become a better critical thinker read books like “Thinking, Fast and Slow.”

3. Evaluate. Every so often (around every 30 days) evaluate how steps 1 and 2 have improved your meta-skill. Are you making better decisions, can you speak more clearly, are you a better listener? Adjust your regiment accordingly.

Improving meta-skills is one of the most effective, yet overlooked areas of personal growth. If you spend time on improving them you will be leaps and bounds better than you are currently.