Are you too old to learn a new skill? Read this

I’m HOPELESS with tech.

Sure, I can use the tools themselves…

For instance, I can operate an Apple iPhone, create fancy designs on

Canva or use spreadsheets…

But I have absolutely no idea HOW these things work.

The notion of computer coding is – for me – utterly baffling.

Yet perhaps I shouldn’t be so hasty in my negative self-judgement.Because this week I was fascinated to read about Andrew Smith, a

non-techie writer in his 50s, who learned the complex art of computer

programming completely from scratch.

Back in 2017, he realised how much of his online life was based on

computer code, and wondered if there was something about computing

that jarred with human nature.

So he started to learn how to code, beginning with HTML and CSS, then

moving on to Python.

Seven years on, he’s skilled enough to work as a coder and even claims

that he’s discovered a "hidden wrinkle" in computing that’s at odds with

human evolution and has knock-on effects for our society.

It’s quite amazing to go from knowing NOTHING to making a significant

discovery in a field…. especially with something as complex as computer

coding.

You’d assume that this kind of thing would be off-limits to a non-techie

writer in his 50s!?

But no – his story goes to show that it’s never too late to learn new skills.

With a bit of determination, amazing things are possible – as long as you

push past your imagined limitations.

So I thought it would be worth sharing the methods that Smith used to

learn this difficult skill by himself as an older man without any formal

training.

LESSON ONE – Research

Smith began by doing online research and reading books about the

basics of coding and programming.

He quickly realised there were thousands of programming languages,

each with its own ethos and community.

This led to him attending PyCon, a conference, which immersed him in

the coding culture.

This is something you’ll find too – if you start with basic research, and

persevere, you’ll find various tribes in forums and social media, where

you can make connections to get deeper knowledge.

LESSON TWO - Online Learning

Smith started with freeCodeCamp, an online learning platform.

This is where he learned about the trio of languages commonly used in

web development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

These languages allowed him to structure and style web pages, giving

him a taste of what coding could do.

This is why finding a course is so important when you want to achieve a

higher level of ability!

It could be a paid course, or you can often learn the basics for free

through YouTube Channels and webinars.

LESSON THREE – Seeking Advice

Smith tried to learn JavaScript but found it challenging and disliked it.

This made him question whether coding was really for him.

However, instead of giving up, he sought advice from a professional

coder, who suggested trying a different language before quitting.

This goes to show that it’s important not to give up when you hit an

obstacle.

Instead, seek out a mentor, coach or advisor who can give you

professional insight and – more importantly – the motivation and

encouragement to continue.

LESSON FOUR – Taking Action

Eventually, Smith progressed to the point where he volunteered with

Code for America, working on a real-world project - a pandemic

dashboard.

This is so important when learning a new skill…

Don’t wait until you’re perfect at it, just start practising or using the skill in

any way you can!

Learning on the job is one of the best ways to master something quickly.

Whatever of the above techniques you try (and I’d suggest ALL of them)

it’s also important to bear the following in mind….

Yes… Older Dogs CAN Learn New Tricks

We assume that we cannot learn anything complicated and new when we

get older.

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, so the cliché goes.

But this isn’t necessarily the case.

Dayna Touron, a researcher at the University of North Carolina has found

that adults over 60 years old often underestimate the power of their

memories and their abilities to learn – so they avoid even trying!

And studies have shown that we CAN learn much more speedily and

comprehensively than we might assume.

One recent case looked at adults over fifty-five who learned three new

skills at the same time (eg, Spanish, drawing, and music) and found that

they not only became proficient at them all, but improved their overall

memory and skills, too.

I’ve also read about a man who, at the age of 58, learned all 10,565 lines

of Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost.

That’s so much text to learn, it took him 3 whole days to recite it out loud!

Rich Karlgaard, author of Late Bloomers: The Hidden Strengths of

Learning and Succeeding at Your Own Pace, says, “Our brains are

constantly forming neural networks and pattern-recognition capabilities

that we didn’t have in our youth when we had blazing synaptic

horsepower."

So we do have the capacity to progress, even after we’ve slipped into

middle age – or even further!

He admits that for us older folk, our brains slow-down in certain respects.

For example, ‘Fluid intelligence’ (our ability to quickly adapt to challenges

and think on our feet) comes much more easily to young people.However, on the other hand, Karlgaard points out that “crystallised

intelligence” (an ability to draw on our store of knowledge and expertise) -

actually gets better with age.

This might explain why some people do better in business when they’re

older.

For example, Ray Kroc was 52 when he built MacDonalds into a fast-food

empire…. John Caudwell founded Phones 4U in his late 40s….and

Arianna Huffington founded The Huffington Post at the age of 55.

In fact, according to research by Pierre Azoulay, from the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology, the average age of business founders is 40 years

old.

He also found that a 50-year-old business founder is twice as likely to

enjoy a successful exit (the startup is acquired or goes public) compared

with a 30-year old.

So let’s not assume that we cannot do something new, just because

we’re over 50, or over 60, or even over 80!

Which brings me to a question…

If there was ONE skill you’d love to learn, what would it be? And what is

the main fear that’s holding you back from trying?

Actually, that’s TWO questions. Only one way to find out

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