Unconscious Competence 101: How to Engineer Instincts
‘What is the purpose of practice?’
To turn a trained act into an instinct.
If you’re not looking to build an instinct, then you want to ask yourself why you are practicing in the first place.
If I throw a ball at you when you were not expecting it, then you’ll automatically move out of the way.
Where did that instinct come from?
That’s a question you want to meditate on as we talk about the magic of unconscious competence.
But first, we should learn the stages of learning.
The 4 Stages of Learning
The stages of learning can be broken down into:
- Unconscious incompetence.
- Conscious incompetence.
- Conscious competence.
- Unconscious competence.
Unconscious incompetence is when you are a dummy but have no clue that you are a dummy.
You are just unaware at this stage.
Conscious incompetence is when you’re still a dummy.
But at least now you are aware of this reality.
Conscious competence is when you have been practicing the task…
You’re getting better.
But the issue is that you have to think a lot.
And finally, unconscious competence is when you no longer have to think.
Instead, the task is automatically done.
The goal here is to simply relax.
My Surprising Encounter with Unconscious Competence
I was always curious about solving a Rubik’s cube.
My curiosity reached a fever pitch when I saw Will Smith solving the cube in Pursuit of Happiness.
If he can do it, why can’t I?
So, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on how to solve it.
First, I had no clue.
Then, I learned the basics.
Later, I had to think while solving the cube.
As more time elapsed, I solved the Rubik’s cube 5,000+ times.
It was autopilot by now.
Then one day, I lost the cube.
A few years later, I went to a party where I saw a cube.
I began playing around with it.
The host asked if I knew how to solve it.
I told him I could.
He didn’t believe me.
That’s when I actively began recalling the moves.
I was using a lot of cognitive effort.
The more effort that I put into solving the cube, the more I kept screwing it up!
The host walked away in disappointment.
That’s when I sat down wondering what happened.
I solved this cube so many times, why was I not able to do it anymore?
As I sat down and relaxed, I noticed my palms moving.
As my palms danced with the cube, the cube began solving itself.
Soon, the autopilot movements had all the sides matching!
I went up to the host and showed him the solved puzzle.
He messed it up again and asked me to solve it in front of him.
I grabbed it… and without much cognitive effort, solved it again.
Unconscious competence.
Unlocking Unconscious Competence
In the early stages of learning, you are very mindful and focused.
Later on, it’s about moving out of your own way.
Be mindful so you have the luxury of being mindless.
When reaching the unconscious competence stage, it’s relaxation that should be prioritized.
If someone asks you:
‘Hey, what exact pressure are you putting on the accelerator while driving?’
Then chances are you will think too much and make the rest of the ride bumpy.
Once you just drive… that’s when the accelerator takes care of itself.
‘Does that mean I never focus on the task again?’
No, there are certain drills you still do that require cognitive effort.
A basketball player has drills where they work on their mechanics.
But once it’s game time, the last thing they are doing is focusing on all the micromechanics.
They just move out of the way and let their body guide them.
Marathon Minded
To reach mastery, understand that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
It becomes crucial to label stages correctly.
Expecting to do a task on autopilot after 1 week is laughable.
My philosophy is if the skill is really worth it, then you should invest a minimum of 6 months.
And that’s still scratching the surface.
‘What about all those quotes that say it takes 21 days to build a habit?’
I don’t know who got that number…
But in terms of practicality, that’s never worked for me.
When we are adding or dropping habits, it’s not just a mechanical process.
We are also dealing with limiting beliefs.
Overriding those limiting beliefs rarely happens in 21 days.
It’s a process that takes time.
First, identify a few tasks you have reached unconscious competence on.
For me, it’s:
- Driving.
- Solving a Rubik’s cube.
- Typing.
Next, feed your mind the question:
If I reached unconscious competence in the past, then why can’t I do it again with an in-demand skill?
When you ask that question, you’ll be given a shocking response.
The response is:
‘You can absolutely reach unconscious competence for an in-demand skill!’
Pursuing Greatness and Sharpening Your Skillsets
We have a lot of tools at our disposal.
Tasks that used to take 3 weeks can nowadays be done in 3 seconds with a Python script.
But don’t let the tools from the outside world distract you from the mightiest tool of them all.
‘What is the mightiest tool of them all, Armani?’
You.
Your mind and nervous system are nothing to scoff at.
Neuroscience shows that neural pathways are always capable of firing and wiring in new ways.
You are not the same person today as you were 5 years ago.
Nor should you be the same person 5 years from now as you are today.
Therefore, practice.
Strive for unconscious competence in your field.
Soon, you’ll engineer the instincts of a winner.
For more practical insights on building a growth mindset, be sure to check out:
- Level Up Mentality: A Guide to Re-Engineer your Mindset for Confidence.
This book will teach you how to:
- Use the 4 stages of learning to master any skill set.
- Implement deliberate practice.
- Study effectively.
- Monitor your progress like a scientist.
Along with plenty of other topics!
GRAB A COPY HERE:
Ebook
Paperback/Kindle
Audiobook
– ArmaniTalks 
