Photo : Kimberly Farmer ( (Unsplash )

We all have certain things we’re particularly good at and may have done since childhood, like art, cooking or fixing things. But as we age, we become painfully aware of our shortcomings, and we decide we’re going to fix ourselves, take up some hobbies, learn new things. But it seldom goes according to plan.


Life gets in the way: who has the time to become fluent in a language, learn a new instrument, start performing house repairs or get certified as a personal trainer? With all the knowledge online, you’re your only excuse. Here are the top 10 most highly desired skills that you can teach yourself—and should.

10. Repair just about anything

Photo : JESHOOTS.COM ( (Unsplash )


Sure, you don’t need to repair anything anymore. You can just pay someone else to do it. But where’s the ingenuity in that? Plus, who wants to waste a bunch of money on simple tasks you can handle on your own? If you’ve adopted the DIY spirit, learning to repair your own stuff is one of the easiest and more rewarding skills you can acquire. It’s especially fruitful because as you learn new things, you can put them to use right away.



So how do you teach yourself? We’ve outlined tons of repairs you can learn on your own to get you started, but if you’re looking for something specific there is no shortage of how-to videos available on YouTube . You’ll find everything from home repairs to outdoor repairs, plumbing repairs and even electrical repairs. There will be occasions when you do need to call a professional, as you’re not going to be a master repairperson instantly, but do remember that there is an opportunity when things break: you can learn how to fix them.

9. Pick up an artistic skill like illustration, painting or photography

Photo : Anna Kolosyuk ( (Unsplash )


Although it often won’t earn you the big bucks, artistic skills are highly desired because they provide you with the technical abilities required to create something beautiful. You’re going to have to find your own inspiration and subject matter, but the skill you’ll need is really just a matter of technical aptitude and practice.



Picking up a book of anatomy and drawing different bones and muscles will teach you how to draw people. Drawing grids over photographs can show you basic perspective. Obviously it isn’t as simple as that, but focusing on learning to draw one simple thing, like the petals of a flower or the human hand, will help you learn how it works and get in a reasonable amount of practice. When you’re ready to move on from the basics and start illustrating on your computer, check out our digital painting lessons. For those of you interested in photography, we have lessons for you, too.


Whatever you’re looking to learn, just set aside 15-30 minutes every day to practice a very small part of that skill. It’ll take awhile to teach yourself how to draw, paint, take better photos, make hamburger sculptures out of clay or whatever it is you want to do, but breaking the daunting task into pieces and practicing each part slowly will do the trick. Plus, it’s a really nice way to unwind at the end of the day.

8. Learn to defend yourself

Photo : Jason Briscoe ( (Unsplash )


Who likes getting their ass kicked? Probably a very small minority. If that’s what you’re into, it doesn’t require much skill—just endurance. If you’d prefer to not end up hurt or injured as the result of an unexpected attack, perhaps it’s time to pick up some self-defense skills.



While you’ll probably want to have a partner around to help you out—at least when you want to test your skill—we’ve outlined several self-defense moves that you can learn on your own. Although you will hopefully never need to actually employ the techniques you acquire, if you do you’ll increase your chances of coming out of a fight unharmed. Plus, it’s pretty cool to walk around with the confidence of being able to take on most anyone in a fight.


7. Improve your design skills (or at least acquire a sense of style)

Photo : Jeff Sheldon ( (Unsplash )


Design and style aren’t an exact science, as tastes differ and change as time goes on, but there are a few principles you can pick up that’ll make your work, home, or whatever needs an aesthetic boost looking better than average. If we’re talking traditional design, you’ll first want to learn the basics of type and layout. These are skills you can employ in your everyday work to make it look a lot more attractive. This may seem like a nearly-useless skill, because spreadsheets aren’t getting entered in any beauty contests, but when something looks good it can have a greater impact. That’s always a plus in your work.



If you want to take things a bit further, you can bump those skills up a notch and teach yourself Photoshop. Your aesthetic is useful when choosing a great wallpaper and creating a clean and organized desktop on your computer. If your home is boring, just follow these guidelines for awesome interior design. You don’t have to be a pro, but learning the basics of design can make your life a lot brighter.


6. Pick up just about any subject you missed in college

Photo : Nathan Dumlao ( (Unsplash )


Whether it’s science, finance, math, humanities, law or anything else, if there’s a course you wish you took in college you’re not out of luck—you can probably find it online. MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses, are a phenomenal way to fill in any gaps in your education. We’ve got a lot of information about our favorite online courses, including ones in personal finance—an area in which we could all use a little more knowledge.



What’s great about learning online is that you can take it at your own pace and put in as much time as you can spare each day. You don’t necessarily have to master a subject, either, but learn as much as you need or want to know. While you won’t end up with a degree for your hard work, you will be a little bit smarter—and that’s the most important part.


5. Build and hack electronic hardware

Photo : david latorre romero ( (Unsplash )


We love technology, and we love it more when we can make it do pretty much whatever we want. There is almost no end to what you can hack, but getting started does require teaching yourself a few skills. Learning to build a computer is a good place to start. Soldering is especially helpful, and understanding the basics of arduino can help you build some really neat stuff. One of the best ways to get started is to pick a project and learn by doing. If you’re not sure where to start, our DIY tag page can offer a few ideas.



4. Play a (new) instrument

Photo : Jeremy Allouche ( (Unsplash )


Whether you already know how to play an instrument and want to learn something new or are musically inept, you’ll find plenty of resources online to help you teach yourself to play just about anything. If guitar is your thing, you’re in luck as you’d be hard-pressed to not find online lessons. JustinGuitar.com offers over 500, and we’ve rounded up plenty more.



The internet can also teach you piano, drums and even orchestral instruments like the flute and violin. Just like with repair skills, you can find a lot of how-to videos on both YouTube.


In addition to the instrument, you’re also going to want to learn a little music theory. We recommend this easy-to-understand resource to get you started. When you’re starting to get good, you can put together a home recording studio on the cheap to start capturing your talent and sharing it with others.

3. Cook like a pro

Photo : Toa Heftiba ( (Unsplash )


With so many recipe sites and cooking skill how-to videos online, it’s a surprise that everyone isn’t a master chef at this point. There are so many simple things you can learn that can vastly improve your culinary skill set really quickly, many of which we’ve covered. We’ve written so much on the subject of learning to cook better that this little section isn’t enough to cover it all, but to get you started:



Read up on how to get excited about cooking for yourself if you need inspiration. Learn the essential skills you need to learn to cook that no one ever taught you. Then move on to The Grown-Up Kitchen, our answer to Cooking 101, where you’ll find easy beginner tips and recipes that’ll have you hosting your first dinner party in no time.


2. Become fluent in a new language

Photo : Conor Luddy ( (Unsplash )


When we asked you which skills you really wanted to learn, language was at, or close to the top of many peoples’ lists. Fortunately for you, this clever technique offers a way to all but master a new language in a short period of time by teaching yourself. You’ll still have to work hard and put in the minutes every day, but you can come out speaking fluently in about half of a year.

Of course, apps like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone make learning a new language easy, even if you’re just trying to learn some new phrases for an upcoming trip.


1. Make a web site, create an app or just learn to code

Photo : Chris Ried ( (Unsplash )


Learning to code is something most of us life hackers aspire to do at one point or another, as it’s not only a great way to create cool apps and tools that we want to use, but it’s also an incredibly marketable skill when trying to get a job.

Most importantly, though: have a project you want to work on. Coding lessons can be really boring if you aren’t working toward something, so a goal project—even a simple one—can really help you out.


This story was originally published on 4/28/12 and was updated on 6/12/19.