The Single Best Way to Truly Master a New Skill

I was fourteen, standing on a stage, and I was pretty sure my entire life was about to end. The auditorium lights felt blinding, and the silence from the crowd—a mix of students, parents, and teachers—was deafening. My job was simple: give a few closing remarks at the school awards night. But as I stood there, script shaking in my sweaty hands, my mind went completely blank.

What felt like an eternity was probably just a minute, but I was frozen. The words on the page were a blurry mess. I was experiencing pure, uncut stage fright. I eventually mumbled some generic nonsense and bolted off the stage like I was escaping a burning building.

Fast forward a decade. I’m speaking on stage nearly every week of the year, all over the world. I’m sharing a lineup with Barack Obama in Brazil, speaking in packed arenas in Spain, and touring across the UK. I went from a kid who couldn’t speak in front of a small crowd to someone who does it for a living.

So, what changed?

It all comes down to one simple rule that didn’t just improve my public speaking—it gave me something valuable to talk about in the first place. I credit this single principle with the entire transformation.

The Power of a Public Obligation

The spiritual leader Yogi Bhajan once said, “If you want to learn something, read about it. If you want to understand something, write about it. If you want to master something, teach it.”

When I was 21, I decided to put that idea to the test. I made a promise to myself that every single day at 7 p.m., I’d sit down, flesh out a single idea, and post it online as a tweet or a short video by 8 p.m. Of all the things I've done, this daily habit was the single most important factor in my growth. For anyone trying to or build a career around their expertise, this is the one piece of advice I can't emphasize enough.

It completely changed my trajectory, and it’s what I recommend to anyone who wants to become a better thinker, writer, or speaker. The critical part wasn’t just learning and sharing; it was making it a daily . This wasn't a hobby—it was a non-negotiable part of my day, much like the commitment needed when .

Why You Need "Skin in the Game"

Almost immediately, I started getting feedback through comments and analytics. This feedback loop helped me get better, and it started to build a small community of people who showed up for that daily idea. What began as a handful of followers has since grown to nearly 10 million people across my channels.

From that very first post, I created a social contract with my audience. I now had an obligation to them, which gave me something to lose: their attention and my reputation. This concept is often called having “skin in the game,” and it’s a powerful psychological tool for accelerating your learning. When you have something at stake, whether it’s money or social standing, your incentives to perform are much stronger. This is a crucial mindset for anyone navigating the ups and downs of a .

This works because of a psychological principle called “loss aversion.” Studies show that we are more motivated to avoid a loss than we are to achieve a gain. By creating an obligation, you give yourself something to lose.

• Want to learn about a company? Buy some of its stock.
• Want to understand Web 3.0? Buy an NFT.
• Want to stay consistent at the gym? Start a group chat where you and your friends share your daily workouts.

In each case, you’ve put financial or social currency on the line. You’ve given yourself something to lose.

A Modern Take on the Feynman Technique

If you truly want to master something, you have to do it publicly and consistently. For those looking to , this is especially true.

• forces you to learn more deeply and communicate more clearly.
• forces you to refine your speaking skills and articulate your thoughts.
• teaches you how to hold an audience’s attention and tell better stories.

One of the most valuable parts of my daily tweet obligation was the character limit. It forced me to distill complex ideas into their simplest form. Being able to simplify a concept is the ultimate proof that you truly understand it. We often use complicated language and extra words to hide our own lack of understanding.

This process is a modern version of the Feynman Technique, named after the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. He was a master at explaining incredibly complex topics in simple terms. He famously said that if he couldn't explain something to a first-year university student, it meant he didn't really understand it himself.

Here’s a simplified version of that technique that you can apply today:

1. Pick a topic you want to master. Dive in and research it from all angles until you have a solid grasp.
2. Write down the idea as if you were explaining it to a child. Use simple words and concepts.
3. Put your explanation out there. Post it online, write a blog, or even just explain it to a friend. The key is to choose a medium where you can get clear feedback.
4. Look at the feedback. Did people get it? If not, go back to step one. If they did, you’re on your way to mastery.

This isn't a new concept. Every great thinker, from historical philosophers like Aristotle and Plato to modern authors like James Clear and Malcolm Gladwell, follows this law. They all created an obligation—whether through blogs, social media, or ancient scrolls—to consistently think, write, and share their ideas. This consistent effort is what can eventually help a success.

As James Clear says, “The person who learns the most in any classroom is the teacher.” You don’t achieve mastery by holding onto knowledge. You achieve it when you’re able to give it away.