The expectation when learning something new is to have some kind of linear progression.

You start with a foundation, whatever it may be, then build upon it in a systematic way while ensuring you’ve met certain milestones.

In education, the typical milestone is a quiz, test or assignment.

For others who may be mentoring, there might be certain parameters of achievement: number of pounds lost, dollars earned, widgets made, etc.

Ideally, we’d like to think learning happens on this linear path because it makes rational sense. You start from here, follow this line and end up there.

However, what really happens is something wildly different.

You start from your own lived experience. Then you build upon it using only information that makes sense and relates to you.

It’s a piece here and a tidbit there, each one slowly adding itself to a much larger picture. Learning happens in peaks and valleys.

We rarely see the progression because it’s so subtle and doesn’t directly compare to someone else’s experience or expectation.

It can be frustrating too.

Sometimes, we just want to directly emulate or follow another person’s best laid plan and expect the same results. But doing so always ends up in failure because any diversion along the path and you’re sunk.

And diversions happen quite often.

The best course of action is to use what is useful to you right now. Use what makes sense and something you can work with in the moment.

Then, keep coming back to the source materials that got you moving in the first place. You’ll be surprised at how much more is there that you just didn’t see before.