Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery

Scott Young, author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Ultralearning, explores why learning new skills is difficult and identifies three essential factors for improvement. Learning shapes our lives—through school, work, and leisure—yet progress is unpredictable. Sometimes skills develop easily, like navigating a new neighborhood or adjusting to a new job. Other times, despite significant effort, improvement stalls. Years of practice at familiar tasks like driving or typing don't guarantee mastery. Young argues that three key factors determine whether learning succeeds: See—Most knowledge comes from observing others. Learning from examples directly affects how quickly we improve. Do—Mastery requires practice, but not all practice is equal. The brain conserves effort, which can help or hinder progress. Feedback—Improvement depends on constant adjustment based on results, not just formal correction. When all three factors are present, rapid progress follows. When any are missing, improvement becomes difficult or impossible. Young uses research and real-world examples to break these elements into twelve maxims applicable to students preparing for exams, employees learning new workplace skills, or anyone seeking to improve at something they care about.