A few lessons I hope to internalize.. eventually:
Approach sometimes trumps Skill
When tackling problems, the method of approach can often be more impactful in reaching a solution, than the amount of skill applied within any chosen solution. When working on Kohler soap dispenser adapter I could have avoided certain roadblocks If I had spent more time brainstorming/approach phase Rather than jumping right into FreeCAD. Though there is merit in just getting started, at some point it’s good to step back and re-evaluate options before switching mindset from planning to action and going all in on your plan A remember that there could be a plan X just around the bend that takes less effort, resources etc. to implement
Read and review the instruction manual
In the rush to dive into new technology, I’m embarrassed to admit how many hours I’ve lost to having missed details which are touched on early on in online documentation. It doesn’t make much sense skim the basics for the sake of maintaining momentum when learning new ideas, only or the learning to come to a complete halt because of some issue already explained on page 2 of the documentation.
If you have a truckload of tomatoes to slice, you must first sharpen your sabre
– Someone Probably
Be Patient
Many times I got stuck and frustrated as a result and stayed up late night trying and failing to solve problem only to wake up next day and figure out what’s not working instantly.Be patient with your self and with the problem. Remember to eat, sleep, and drop it all and do something else. Trust the subconscious mind.
Be Aware
This last note, more of a personal obersvation that I struggle to learn new material when I haven’t slept well the day before. Sometimes I stayed up late either stubbornly trying to get past a sticking point or working on a project in frenzy. but that time would have been better spent resting, because I the next day my thoughts are often sluggish, and I don’t feel like dive into anything new. I think for each of us, it’s good to pay attention to how different physical states affect learning new things, and to optimize for the be best conditions.
Don’t crowd your senses
Now If I could slot in one more tip, it would be to learn as few new things simultaneously. In the same way that performing a new exercise or movement can be a challenge even for people who are very physically fit, taking on unfamiliar task will exert greater cognitive load than you are used to managing.
So be patient with yourself and allow time to rest and ingest.
There are so many ways to go about learning new tech, but these tips are the ones which benefited me the most with FreeCAD and Python.