LEARNFASTERW I

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THESTAGESOFLEARNING
 LEARN FASTER WITH THE STAGES OF LEARNING -​ ​LIFEHACK.ORG 

Introduction 
Do you need to be super smart to be a fast learner? 

The answer is no.  

Anyone can learn faster and smarter. Learning is a skill that anyone can take up.  

The trick to speeding up your learning is to understand the different stages of learning.   

Once you understand how the learning process actually works, you’ll begin to learn anything 
more effectively. 

The Stages of Learning - An Effective Learning Tool 

Effective learning can be divided into 3 stages. People who think they’re not smart enough 
to learn are usually just getting stuck at the early stages. If you find yourself learning slowly 
or getting stuck at a certain skill level, it may just mean you’re trying to master the skill set of 
your current learning stage. 

By understanding the stages of learning and your current stage of learning, you can better 
plan for your next actions to improve the way you learn and master the skills you want.  

At Lifehack, we make use of the ​Stages of Learning​ to discover the level of your abilities. 
Here’re the 3 Stages of Learning: 

● Stage 1 Cognitive (Early)​ — Understanding what you’re trying to do: researching, 

thinking about the process, and breaking the skill into manageable parts. 
● Stage 2 Associative (Intermediate)​ — Practicing the task, noticing environmental 
feedback, and adjusting your approach based on that feedback. 
● Stage 3 Autonomous (Late)​ — Performing the skill effectively and efficiently without 
thinking about it or paying unnecessary attention to the process; the skill is 
completely internalized. 

Use the Stages of Learning as a way for you to understand how your individual learning 
skills can be improved over time.  

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 LEARN FASTER WITH THE STAGES OF LEARNING -​ ​LIFEHACK.ORG 

How to Use the Stages of Learning 

The secret to getting ahead is to know what you need to learn to improve yourself. 

Step 1: Name the ONE Skill / Knowledge That You’re Taking Up 
What is the O
​ NE​ skill / knowledge that you’re trying to take up? Put it down here: 

e.g. Spanish language 

 
 
 
 
 

Step 2: Break It Down into Sub-Skills 

When you’re trying to take up a new skill or knowledge, there’s definitely more than one 
thing that you need to learn. Take learning a foreign language for example, you have to 
learn the vocabulary and grammar; it also involves oral and listening skills. 

Now think about that one skill / knowledge that you’re trying to take up, what sub-skills 
does it consist of? And for these sub-skills, what level of proficiency are you trying to 
achieve?  

Jot them down here: 

e.g. Spanish speaking - able to do presentations at work 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 LEARN FASTER WITH THE STAGES OF LEARNING -​ ​LIFEHACK.ORG 

Step 3: Assess Your Personal Inventory 

The next step is to look inward and assess your own abilities.  

Some people give up learning or taking up a new skill at the beginning stages because they 
compare their skill level with others who may have spent years to master the skill.  

If this sounds familiar, stop comparing yourself to others. Y

​ ou should really only be 
comparing yourself to an older version of you​. 

As you understand your current skills, you can visualize the gap between your current 
abilities and your target ones. What’s lacking? What can be strengthened? 

Now, try to rate your own ability based on the skills you identified in Step 2, and c
​ ome up 
with concrete actions that you can take to bridge the gap b
​ etween your current stage of 
learning and the target one: 

Rate Your Skills 

#  Skill  Current  Target  Concrete Actions to Bridge the 

Stage of  Stage of  Learning Gap 
Learning  Learning 

e. Spanish speaking  1  3  - Engage in Spanish 

g  speaking/practice groups to 
chat with native speakers 
once a week 
- Research and prepare for a 
simple presentation of any 
theme I want and videotape 
my presentation once a 
month. 

1         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 LEARN FASTER WITH THE STAGES OF LEARNING -​ ​LIFEHACK.ORG 

2         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

3         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

4         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

5         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 LEARN FASTER WITH THE STAGES OF LEARNING -​ ​LIFEHACK.ORG 

Remember,​ d
​ on’t get discouraged if you’re still at the very early stage for most of these 
skills. Knowing where you are at the moment is already a great step you take to get closer to 
mastering the skill you want.  

What’s Next? 
As demonstrated in this worksheet, learning comes down to a solid system that is 
applicable to any kind of skill and knowledge. Even though it’s something completely new to 
you, you can take up the skill as long as you are willing to take baby steps to get started. 
And, with the help of the Stages of Learning, which helps to break down your progress, you 
can learn faster.  

Now that you have a better learning plan for yourself, what’s next? 

The Stages of Learning is only one of the many learning tools to help you learn effectively. If 
you want to become a smart learner and master any skill you want, stay tuned with our 
email newsletter. All the tips and tricks that help you learn fast will be delivered to your 
inbox! 

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