Learning a New Skill
“Will I be able to use my new voice one day without having to think about it?”
In my opinion, the answer is…it depends. Everyone is unique, with different life circumstances, schedules, and goals. Nevertheless, I believe it is possible to achieve a voice that becomes second nature with a lot of dedication, practice, and self-compassion.
I recently learned about The Conscious Competence Learning Model, which explains the stages we learn and acquire new skills. Below are the stages and different examples of how learning a new skill can apply to your voice and other areas of your life.
Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence (Ignorance)
Unaware of the skill and lack proficiency
You are unaware of how your voice sounds and have no idea how to change it.
You are unaware that Portuguese is a language.
Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence (Awareness)
Aware of the skill but not yet proficient
You heard a recording of yourself and don’t like how it sounds. You want to make some changes and find out you can get help from a speech pathologist or voice coach.
You listened to a song in Portuguese on the radio and start to become interested in learning the language.
Stage 3: Conscious Competence (Learning)
Can use the skill but only with effort
You are given guidance and structured voice exercises on how to create a voice that is affirming. You practice exercises consistently for a few months and start to like how your voice sounds on a recording. However, you’re still having to put in a lot of effort to create your authentic voice.
You sign up for Portuguese classes at your local community college and start to learn basic phrases and sentences. After a few months of studying consistently, you’re able to have conversations. It still requires a lot of concentration.
Stage 4: Unconscious Competence (Mastery)
Performing the skill becomes automatic and easy
You’re with your friends chatting in a voice that is authentic and affirming without having to think about it.
You’re speaking with a group of Brazilians and have a full-blown conversation in Portuguese
When working on voice and communication, it’s not necessarily a linear process. Depending on your schedule, life events, and practice routine, it’s not uncommon to go from stage 4 (Mastery) to Stage 3 (Learning). Changing a behavior is complex, and because our voices are so intertwined with our identity, it comes with additional challenges.
Tips for Practicing
Start Simple
Start with 5-10 minutes of practice per day. Short frequent bursts of practice are a lot more effective than practicing for 2 hours one time per week.
Reminders
Set reminders on your phone to drink water or review voice exercises. Leave a sticky note on your laptop with reminders of how to tap into your new voice.
Journal
Keep track of how you’re feeling throughout the process. What areas are you successful in? What areas do you need more support? What are some things you noticed when practicing on your own?
Support System
When you’re ready, start to use your voice with a trusted conversational partner (e.g., friend, therapist). You can start with 5 minutes of practice during a short conversation and eventually work your way up to 1 hour in small increments.
References
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/18-tricks-to-make-new-habits-stick.html
https://www.mccc.edu/~lyncha/documents/stagesofcompetence.pdf
