Book Notes #122: The First 20 Hours by Josh Kaufman

Title: The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything – Fast
Author: Josh Kaufman
Year: 2013
Pages: 274

The First 20 Hours by Josh Kaufman is one of those books I wish I’d discovered sooner. It’s all about how you can quickly learn new skills—without getting stuck or overwhelmed.

Kaufman introduces a simple approach: break down complicated skills into smaller pieces, practice efficiently, and get rid of things that hold you back. He claims (and shows clearly!) that by practicing with focus for just 20 hours, you can go from knowing nothing at all to being surprisingly good.

What I think makes this book especially engaging is that Kaufman doesn’t just talk theory—he actually tests his method himself. He shares his real experiences of learning how to code, play the ukulele, do yoga, improve his typing, go windsurfing, and even learn an ancient board game.

For me, this makes the book super practical and relatable. It shows clearly that anyone—myself included—can quickly pick up a new skill if they’re willing to put in focused practice.

As a result, I gave this book a rating of 8.0/10.

For me, a book with a note 10 is one I consider reading again every year. Among the books I rank with 10, for example, are How to Win Friends and Influence People and Factfulness.

3 Reasons to Read The First 20 Hours

Book Overview

In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman shares a really interesting idea: you don’t need thousands of hours to get good at something new. He believes—and I totally agree—that with the right approach, you can learn the basics of almost any skill in just 20 hours.

What I really like is how Kaufman breaks skills down into smaller, manageable parts. He shows that when you clearly identify the most important pieces, learning becomes easier and less overwhelming.

He also talks a lot about focused, purposeful practice—which is something I think makes a huge difference. Rather than practicing mindlessly, Kaufman encourages us to focus on specific goals each session and use feedback to improve quickly.

Another great tip he gives is making the most out of books, online courses, or tutorials to speed up your learning process. This practical advice makes his method feel very doable.

For me, Kaufman’s approach feels both encouraging and realistic. It shows that learning something new doesn’t have to feel impossible—just 20 hours of smart practice can get you pretty far!

Chapter by Chapter

In the chapter A Portrait of the Author as a Learning Junkie, Kaufman describes himself as a “learning addict” with a long list of skills he wants to acquire, but limited time due to work and family responsibilities. He became interested in rapid skill acquisition methods to continue learning new skills efficiently despite time constraints.

In Ten Principles of Rapid Skill Acquisition, Kaufman outlines 10 key principles for rapidly acquiring new skills, including choosing a project you’re excited about, focusing on one skill at a time, defining your target performance level, deconstructing the skill into subskills, obtaining necessary tools, eliminating barriers to practice, making dedicated practice time, creating fast feedback loops, practicing in short bursts, and emphasizing quantity and speed over perfection.

According to the book The First 20 Hours, the ten principles of rapid skill acquisition are:

1. Choose a lovable project: Pick a skill you are genuinely excited and interested in learning, as this will keep you motivated throughout the process.
2. Focus your energy on one skill at a time: Don’t try to learn multiple new skills simultaneously, as this will divide your attention and slow your progress.
3. Define your target performance level: Clearly define the level of proficiency you want to achieve through this learning process, rather than aiming for perfection.
4. Deconstruct the skill into subskills: Break down the overall skill into the smallest possible learnable components or subskills, so you can focus on the most critical ones first.
5. Obtain critical tools: Acquire any necessary equipment, resources, or learning materials to facilitate effective practice of the skill.
6. Eliminate barriers to practice: Identify and remove any physical, mental, or emotional obstacles preventing you from dedicating focused practice time.
7. Make dedicated time for practice: Schedule regular, dedicated practice sessions, ideally at the same time each day, to build a consistent habit.
8. Create fast feedback loops: Seek out immediate feedback on your performance so you can quickly make adjustments and improvements.
9. Practice by the clock in short bursts: Practice in focused, timed sessions rather than long, open-ended practice to maintain concentration.
10. Emphasize quantity and speed: Focus on doing a large quantity of practice repetitions quickly, rather than perfectionism, to maximize your progress.

Then, in the Ten Principles of Effective Learning, he provides 10 principles to make learning new skills more efficient, such as researching the skill, jumping in over your head, identifying mental models, imagining the opposite of what you want, talking to practitioners, eliminating distractions, using spaced repetition, creating scaffolds and checklists, making and testing predictions, and honoring your biology.

According to the book The First 20 Hours, the ten principles of effective learning are:

1. Research the skill and related topics: Thoroughly research the skill you want to learn, as well as any related concepts, to build a strong foundation of knowledge.
2. Jump in over your head: Don’t be afraid to start practicing the skill at a level that challenges you, even if you initially feel in over your head.
3. Identify mental models and mental hooks: Find ways to create mental models and hooks that help you quickly understand and remember key aspects of the skill.
4. Imagine the opposite of what you want: Visualize and practice the opposite of the desired skill, which can help you better understand what you’re trying to achieve.
5. Talk to practitioners to set expectations: Speak with people who have already mastered the skill to set realistic expectations about the learning process.
6. Eliminate distractions in your environment: Remove any physical or digital distractions from your practice environment to stay focused.
7. Use spaced repetition and reinforcement for memorization: Employ spaced repetition techniques to efficiently commit important information to memory.
8. Create scaffolds and checklists: Build scaffolds and checklists to guide your practice and ensure you don’t miss critical steps.
9. Make and test predictions: Regularly make predictions about your performance and test them to identify areas needing more practice.
10. Honor your biology: Respect your body’s natural rhythms and limitations to optimize your learning and practice sessions.

While Kaufman acknowledges that 20 hours may not be sufficient to achieve mastery in all skills, he argues that it is often enough to reach a level of proficiency where the skill can be used effectively.

He encourages readers to embrace the idea of “good enough” mastery and to focus on enjoying the process of learning rather than fixating on perfection.

Based on the principles outlined in the book The First 20 Hours we have a suggested 20-hour plan to achieve a new skill:

1. Choose a Lovable Project (1-2 hours)

• Identify a skill you are genuinely excited about and interested in learning. This will keep you motivated throughout the process.
• Research the skill and related topics to understand what’s involved and set realistic expectations.

2. Define Your Target Performance Level (1-2 hours)

• Clearly define the level of proficiency you want to achieve through this 20-hour learning process.
• Identify the key subskills and milestones you need to reach your target performance level.

3. Deconstruct the Skill into Subskills (2-3 hours)

• Break down the overall skill into the smallest possible learnable components or subskills.
• Prioritize the most critical subskills that will have the biggest impact on your overall performance.

4. Obtain Critical Tools (1-2 hours)

• Acquire any necessary equipment, resources, or learning materials to practice the skill.
• Ensure you have everything you need to start practicing effectively.

5. Eliminate Barriers to Practice (1-2 hours)

• Identify and remove any physical, mental, or emotional obstacles preventing you from dedicating focused practice time.
• Optimize your environment and schedule to facilitate consistent, uninterrupted practice.

6. Make Dedicated Practice Time (12-14 hours)

• Schedule regular, dedicated 45-60 minute practice sessions, ideally at the same time each day.
• Focus on practicing the most critical subskills through deliberate, targeted repetition.
• Create fast feedback loops by getting immediate input on your performance.
• Practice in short bursts, emphasizing quantity and speed over perfection.

The key is to stay focused, eliminate distractions, and dedicate consistent, strategic practice time to the most important subskills.

Overall, The First 20 Hours offers a refreshing perspective on skill acquisition, challenging the notion that mastery requires endless hours of practice. Kaufman’s method is accessible and practical, providing readers with a roadmap for rapidly acquiring new skills.

Emphasizing the importance of deliberate practice and systematic learning, Kaufman empowers readers to take control of their learning journey and achieve meaningful results in a relatively short amount of time.

4 Key Ideas From The First 20 Hours

6 Main Lessons From The First 20 Hours

My Book Highlights & Quotes

Dr. Krashen calls this the monitor hypothesis. Learning helps you plan, edit, and correct yourself as you practice. That’s why learning is valuable. The trouble comes when we confuse learning with skill acquisition.If you want to acquire a new skill, you must practice it in context . Learning enhances practice, but it doesn’t replace it. If performance matters, learning alone is never enough.

There’s also a huge difference between skill acquisition and training. Training, in this context, means improving a skill you’ve already acquired through repetition. It’s what happens after you’ve acquired a basic skill if you want to keep improving.

If you rely on finding time to do something, it will never be done. If you want to find time, you must make time.

The only way to get good at something is to plunge in and practice, with no mercy for yourself.

Conclusion

The First 20 Hours by Josh Kaufman is a book I really appreciate because it proves how powerful deliberate practice and focused learning can be.

Kaufman breaks down complicated skills into clear, manageable steps, encouraging you to set simple goals and embrace the idea that “good enough” really is good enough—especially when you’re just starting out.

What I love most is that his method is so practical and flexible. Whether you’re trying to learn a language, pick up a musical instrument, or even master something technical, Kaufman shows you exactly how to start quickly and see real progress.

For me, this book feels encouraging and motivating—it’s like having a friend guiding you through the first important steps of learning anything new.

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