There are times when you have to learn by doing. This is the hardest way to figure something out, because it requires trial and error — you don’t get it right until you’ve done it wrong, usually more than once.

Then there are instances when you learn from others. This is usually a little easier, because someone else has done the hard part for you. If you pay attention, you can get it right the first or second try. The downside is that you have to admit you didn’t know how to do something in the first place. For a lot of us, particularly those of us with Adam’s apples, that’s really tough.