Up until this point, we have focused on you individually, in terms of your personal motivation and foundation for proficiency. Now it’s time to consider your shared foundation.
Basically, unless you are really special, a shared foundation accelerates your development in ham radio or any hobby. I learned this very early in the game. Basically, you can’t and should not try to do everything yourself. This is where your shared foundation comes in. And it’s not just about socialization. Stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before.
Finding good mentors is perhaps the most important thing you can do. Mentors are experienced and trusted advisors. They can help you achieve higher levels of performance faster, avoid mistakes and dead ends. My guess is that having mentors will lead to order-of-magnitude improvements. Ideally, your mentors should be at least one level higher on the proficiency scale.
And you should seek to become a mentor yourself. You learn a lot when you try to teach others.
Communities of interest, once limited to local clubs or coffee groups, are now global and easily accessible. Lots of folks are interested in the same things you are and glad to share. Find your selection of web sites and discussion groups that peak your interest.
Lastly, your shared foundation may include shared resources. These include workshops and test equipment, open source code and designs, and so on. Unless your goal is to do so, don’t reinvent the wheel. Leverage what’s available. Your ham radio club should provide a meaningful shared foundation for its members.
Shared Foundation Golden Era
As you know, we have lots of challenges with social media and online misinformation. But we also live in a golden era where we can share good information online with few limitations. Take advantage of this in your journey to increase your proficiency.
I particularly enjoy group video chats with mentors of all shapes and sizes.