Learning a new skill? Send these 3 emails to level up your learning.

Creating learning goals tees up your success. Communicating goals drives your success like Tiger drove at the 18th hole of Kapalua--but without all that walking. Here's how you can level up by sending these 3 emails (while keeping on your mules if you're feeling fancy):

1. Your future self: All goal setting improves your performance.

A 2014 study found “setting goals directly affected academic achievement, increasing students’ chances of reaching [their personal] benchmarks … [e]ven when [the goals] were only indirectly related …” 

So write down your learning and personal goals like managing time. For example: By X date, I'll be able to Y, so I can Z. Then, email yourself a goal checkin using www.futureself.org.

2. A supportive friend: Learning by teaching is a well-known strategy. But explaining what you know without notes is the key.

A 2018 study found “the benefits of ... learning-by-teaching ... are attributable to retrieval. [It works only] when the teaching involves retrieving the taught materials.”

So email a friend to share your goals and summarize what you’ve learned. Better yet, ask if you can share your weekly learnings. Bonus, the emails will also show your progress.

3. Someone you admire: Making your goals public keeps you accountable. But letting someone you respect know your goals increases success.

A 2020 study found “people showed greater goal commitment and performance when they told their goal to someone they believed had higher status...”

So email a former colleague/mentor you respect to share your goals. Then, follow up in 3 months to share your progress.