<story><title>Do the Real Thing</title><url>https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2020/05/04/do-the-real-thing/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>kalonis</author><text>Just watching someone doing the real thing is one of the most prominent strategies to avoid doing the real thing.&lt;p&gt;It is not enough to watch someone very skilled do the real thing. You have to imitate them: Reading a lot of great novels will not make you a better writer. Instead write a story in the style of any writer you admire and you will learn a lot while still doing the real thing. The same is true for almost any art you want learn.</text></item><item><author>zomglings</author><text>Definitely agree with the article, and would like to offer a useful supplement to &amp;quot;doing the real thing&amp;quot;: &amp;quot;watch someone very skilled do the real thing&amp;quot;.&lt;p&gt;Watching a pro can really accelerate skill acquisition because it will expose you to high quality ideas that would have been difficult to develop on your own.&lt;p&gt;Want to get better at Backgammon&amp;#x2F;Chess&amp;#x2F;Go? Play a lot of games (at various time controls). Yes. But also watch professional players and read their analyses of games.&lt;p&gt;Want to get better at programming? Write a lot of programs. Yes. But also read a lot of high quality code written by others.&lt;p&gt;Want to become a better mathematician? Spend your time mastering mathematical knowledge and techniques. Yes. But also spend some time trying to get in the heads of the masters - learning their patterns of thought at the mathematical and meta-mathematical levels.&lt;p&gt;The increased accessibility of this kind of content is one of the greatest achievements of the internet.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>cgrealy</author><text>When asked about how to be a good writer, Terry Pratchett offered tips on boxing:&lt;p&gt;“A good diet is essential, of course, as is a daily regime of exercise. Pay attention to your footwork, it will often get you into trouble. Go down to the gym every day – every day of your life that finds you waking up capable of standing. Take every opportunity to watch a good professional fight. In fact watch as many bouts as you can, because you can even learn something from the fighters who get it wrong. Don’t listen to what they say, watch what they do. And don’t forget the diet and the exercise and the roadwork.&lt;p&gt;Got it? Well, becoming a writer is basically exactly the same thing, except that it isn’t about boxing.”</text></comment>
<story><title>Do the Real Thing</title><url>https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2020/05/04/do-the-real-thing/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>kalonis</author><text>Just watching someone doing the real thing is one of the most prominent strategies to avoid doing the real thing.&lt;p&gt;It is not enough to watch someone very skilled do the real thing. You have to imitate them: Reading a lot of great novels will not make you a better writer. Instead write a story in the style of any writer you admire and you will learn a lot while still doing the real thing. The same is true for almost any art you want learn.</text></item><item><author>zomglings</author><text>Definitely agree with the article, and would like to offer a useful supplement to &amp;quot;doing the real thing&amp;quot;: &amp;quot;watch someone very skilled do the real thing&amp;quot;.&lt;p&gt;Watching a pro can really accelerate skill acquisition because it will expose you to high quality ideas that would have been difficult to develop on your own.&lt;p&gt;Want to get better at Backgammon&amp;#x2F;Chess&amp;#x2F;Go? Play a lot of games (at various time controls). Yes. But also watch professional players and read their analyses of games.&lt;p&gt;Want to get better at programming? Write a lot of programs. Yes. But also read a lot of high quality code written by others.&lt;p&gt;Want to become a better mathematician? Spend your time mastering mathematical knowledge and techniques. Yes. But also spend some time trying to get in the heads of the masters - learning their patterns of thought at the mathematical and meta-mathematical levels.&lt;p&gt;The increased accessibility of this kind of content is one of the greatest achievements of the internet.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>chrisweekly</author><text>&amp;quot;AND&amp;quot;, not &amp;quot;OR&amp;quot;.&lt;p&gt;IOW, possibly necessary, definitely insufficient condition.&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#x27;s irrelevant whether it&amp;#x27;s common to use watching to avoid doing. One should absolutely watch, read, listen, etc -- in parallel to the doing.</text></comment>