| On your journey to martial arts training excellence it's | | | | We acquire the skill. We have become consciously |
| important to understand the stages we go through | | | | competent. Our conscious mind can only cope with a |
| as we are learning and developing, so we know | | | | small number of new bits of information at any one |
| where we are at and know where we are going. | | | | time. |
| Here are the 4 stages of learning. | | | | Our confidence increases with our ability, we have to |
| I Unconscious incompetence | | | | concentrate on what we know/do |
| Blissful ignorance | | | | Can do if know how to. |
| Confidence exceeds ability, we are not | | | | I know how do this martial arts technique but I have |
| knowledgeable/skillful | | | | to think what to do to get it right. |
| We don't know we don't know. | | | | IV Unconscious competence |
| I don't know how do this martial arts technique or | | | | Lastly, we blend the skills together and they become |
| whether I am doing it right. | | | | habits - we can then do them while our mind is on |
| II Conscious incompetence | | | | other things. |
| We discover a skill we wish to learn - driving a car, | | | | We have reached the stage of unconscious |
| riding a bike | | | | competence. |
| Confidence drops as we realise our ability is limited | | | | Our confidence and ability have peaked, we no longer |
| We need to practise to learn. Often this means not | | | | have to concentrate on what we know/do; this is |
| succeeding at first. | | | | the start of the next learning curve |
| This is learning; unfortunately, in our culture it is often | | | | We can do, but don't necessarily know how we do. |
| labelled 'failure'. We feel uncomfortable. | | | | I can do this martial arts technique without thinking |
| We know what we don't know. | | | | and I know it works. |
| I know I can't do this martial arts technique or do it | | | | In different areas of our life we will be at different |
| very well. | | | | stages on different learning curves. |
| III Conscious competence | | | | |