To have a rich variety of skills or talents is an advantage. The more you have, the more capable you are in a wider scope of life situations. It also makes you a more interesting person.
I like learning new things. And, though, I have been called “versatile” or “well-rounded” several times already, I still consider myself lacking. There are still plenty of skills I want to learn. Among those, here’s the top ten…
10.) COMPUTER HACKING
Movies and TV shows heavily romanticized computer hacking. When depicted by Hollywood, hacking is presented as having the power to take control or manipulate everything with a laptop and light-speed typing skills. Of course, several of these scenarios or cases depicted are completely absurd. However, indeed, there is power in hacking in real life. And I want to learn it, not because I want to have power, but because everything is starting to get centralized on computer technology. And when the time comes that everything is dependent on or working by computers, the more computer know-how you have, the more competitive and fit you are in such environment.
9.) COOKING WELL
Who isn’t fond of eating good food? I, like everyone else, greatly enjoy eating. And the only thing as good as eating good food is preparing it. A delicious meal is made more enjoyable by the thought that you were the one who made it. Thus, I want to be richly adept in the culinary arts – to prepare good food for myself and for others to enjoy.
8.) MAKING ART
When I was a kid, I often draw. And I love looking at art ever since.
I appreciate art, that’s why I know the fact that I’m still lacking in skill. I envy those who have the talents to create amazing art – painters, sculptors, pencilers, etc. I want to feel that fulfillment of creating something that will awe and/or cheer people.
7.) PICKING A POCKET
“First, hacking a computer. Now, picking a pocket?! You aren’t deciding of becoming a criminal, are you?” you might ask. No, of course not. I just think that this skill is pretty cool – to get something from someone’s pocket without him noticing. To have such quick and graceful hands is a great way to show off. I should have probably used the term “sleight of hand” instead of “picking pocket” if I’m pertaining to this skill. The “sleight of hand” is mighty invaluable in performing magic tricks and such… but more so with picking pockets.
Note: I’m actually also considering adding “picking a lock” in this list. But that would probably make you pretty suspicious of this list of skills I want to learn. Besides, I think that the traditional lock-and-key convenience that we have in the present would be very much extinct in the near future. Thus, the skill of “picking locks” would be inutile.
6.) UBERMAN SLEEPING
This is going to be probably the longest entry in this list since I need to explain this skill…
We need sleep to refresh us. But the time spent on sleeping seems to take out a large chunk out of our precious time. We sleep, by average, around 8 hours a day (the recommended and usual given amount to the question “how much sleep we should get?”). That’s already a third of our 24-hour day. So that means we roughly spend a third of our lives sleeping! It kind of sucks when you think about it: we’ll be sleeping when we’re dead anyway, why does sleep has to take a third of the time we’re alive, too?!
But what if sleeping would only take two hours out of our 24-hour day, and it’ll still be very much enough to refresh us? Too good to be true? Well, that’s how the Uberman sleeping schedule works.
There are 5 stages of sleep. But the only actual essential stage is the REM (rapid eye movement) stage. This is the stage where we dream. This is the stage where we are really being recharged. The Uberman system aims to skip the other unnecessary 4 stages of sleep and go directly to the REM stage as soon as the eyes are closed. The Uberman sleeping schedule goes like this: you take 20-minute naps every four hours. That would give you 6 naps – a total of 2 hours of sleep – each day. Of course, your brain and body wouldn’t adapt to this schedule quickly. It would take one or two weeks till the brain and body gets accustomed to it. During that period, you would definitely feel like crap. But the idea is, once your brain and body get used to it, you will be able to sleep comfortably on such unorthodox schedule and will be refreshed from the naps because you will experience REM immediately.
Now that is the Uberman way of sleeping. And I want to learn it. (Note: Some say that it’s a dangerous method though.)
5.) SPEAKING WELL
Like most people, I write better than I speak. I can organize my thoughts better and have a better command of diction when writing. So, I prefer prepared speeches than extemporaneous ones. However, I’m still not extremely good at delivering a prepared speech. Most of the time during the speech, my eyes are looking down on my written copy. Instead of using it as a guide, I mostly recite it verbatim. I don’t want to lose the entire flavor on what I have written. Of course, a good speaker merely glances at his written copy and maintain eye contact with his audience most of the time. I want to be like that: to maintain the connection with the audience without sacrificing the entire flavor of the prepared speech. I want to be able to be articulate my thoughts always; not only by writing, but by speech as well. Speeches are usually more empathic than writings.
There is a reason why a batshit Austrian imbecile (it’s a misconception that he’s a genius) like Hitler was able to gain power in Germany. He might be madman, but he was a charismatic speaker. I’m not saying I want to be like Hitler, but my point is, more often than not, those that can deliver speeches well are the one gaining leadership, prominence and recognition in history. Churchill, Lincoln, Luther King, Jr… here are people who, unlike Hitler, used their legendary speaking prowess for the good of many.
I really want to be good at speaking. I want to be good at both the prepared speech and the extemporaneous speech. To rally people with my tongue. To give encouragement. To proclaim truth and ideas with clarity and emphasis. To impact history by words. I want the skill – no, it’s not just a skill – the power of speech.
4.) PLAYING SAXOPHONE
As an amateur musician, I know how to play several instruments. I’m not saying I am great in playing all of these instruments, but I know how to play them well enough to be able to experience performing with them at least once. These instruments that I know how to play either belong to the string family or percussion family of musical instruments. I don’t know how to play any wind instrument. That’s why the next instrument I really want to learn to play is the saxophone – a wind instrument. And why the saxophone you ask? Well, because it is the sexiest sounding instrument there is. Case study: non-sensual songs like “Careless Whisper” and “The One You Love” (check the lyrics) became “sexy” songs because of their popular saxophone riffs.
3.) PILOTING A PLANE
I still don’t know how to drive a motorbike or car. But, I think, eventually, it is very probable I’ll get to that. But learning how to pilot a plane is a dream of mine since I was small. I remember that when I was just a toddler – next to being an astronaut – I really wanted to be a fighter plane pilot. Now, I don’t really dream of piloting planes as a vocation, but piloting a plane (not necessarily a fighter jet, of course) is still something I want to do.
2.) KRAV MAGA
I consider Krav Maga as the best fighting style there is. It’s practical and can be learned in just a few months. Violence is not always the answer. But as the song and saying goes, “you don’t have to fight to be a man, but, sometimes, you need to fight when you’re a man.” I want to be equipped and have the confidence that I can go Krav Maga-berserk at any time or as a last result to protect myself and those dear to me from a threat.
1.) ONLINE TRADING OF SECURITIES
Trading securities is like poker. It’s risky and rewarding, but not that romantic as pop culture presented. The reality is, like poker, trading securities involves a lot of math.
I want to have the proper training and knowledge to be able to trade securities via Internet. Online trading is definitely convenient, since the conventional trading of securities involve leasing a sit on the floor of the Stock Exchange. With merely logging in, clicking the mouse, I can buy and sell securities for profit at the convenience of being at home.
Really need somebody to teach me this. Anybody? Or, if not, you can teach me how to earn through online poker instead.
