The Path to Mastery: How to Develop Fluency in Any Skill

This is a guest post by Ed Latimore. It’s taken from his experience learning a variety of skills to a high level and what he’s figured out along the way. He goes more in-depth into his story and how he didn’t even graduate high school to getting a degree in physics, becoming a national champion boxer, and achieving over a decade of sobriety in his new book Hard Lessons From The Hurt Business: Boxing And The Art of Life, now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and anywhere books are sold.

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Fluency isn’t reserved for languages alone.

It’s the ability to perform any skill—whether it’s speaking, boxing, or problem-solving—effortlessly and effectively.

Fluency is the bridge between the beginner who struggles and the expert who flows with ease. It’s a state of automaticity, where you no longer have to consciously think through every step; the movements, words, or decisions come naturally.

Anyone can achieve this level of fluency with the right approach.

Over the years, I’ve set out to become fluent in multiple areas of my life: Spanish, chess, boxing, and even physics. My journey has taught me that the principles of fluency apply universally, regardless of the field. If you approach learning with the correct mindset and strategies, you can develop proficiency in nearly any field.

In this article, I’ll share the lessons I’ve learned about learning and how they can be applied to mastering any skill. These principles have helped me transition from struggling in high school math to earning a physics degree, from being a mediocre boxer to a national champion, from barely speaking Spanish to holding conversations while traveling in Colombia, and achieving a peak Chess.com rating of 1850.

The 80/20 Rule: Mastering the Basics

One of the most powerful tools in any learner’s arsenal is the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle. This rule suggests that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. In terms of learning, this means that a small number of fundamental concepts can yield the majority of your progress.

Take boxing, for example. I spent a long time training without much improvement, fumbling through punches and relying on raw power. But everything changed when a coach taught me the importance of footwork.

Footwork was the foundational skill that unlocked my potential in the ring. We spent an entire session drilling basic movements—steps, pivots, and angles—rather than just throwing punches. It wasn’t the glamorous pad work drills you see on the internet. Most of the time, I wasn’t even throwing punches. I spent time working on what matters most in boxing: positioning, balance, and leverage—all of which come from your footwork.

Similarly, in physics, my breakthrough came when I realized that everything I needed to understand—whether it was calculus, trigonometry, or geometry—boiled down to mastering algebraic and geometric relationships. With a solid grasp of these basics, the more advanced topics became much easier.

In Spanish, I applied the same approach. Rather than trying to memorize every possible word or phrase, I focused on learning the 500 most common words and the core conjugations of ser and estar. Once I had those basics down, I could quickly communicate and understand conversations, even in an immersive environment like Cartagena.

The lesson here is simple: don’t try to learn everything. Focus on the essential skills that will have the greatest impact on your progress, and make sure you master them before moving on to more complex ideas.

“If you walk the same path as everyone around you, you'll end up at the same destination. However, if your trajectory is just one degree different from everyone else's, you’ll eventually be in completely different places.”

-Hard Lessons From The Hurt Business: Boxing and The Art of Life

Fluency Creates the Illusion of Speed

One of the most striking experiences I had was during my trip to Cartagena, Colombia. Upon arriving, Spanish felt fast and overwhelming. The sentences rushed past me, and I thought, "I still don’t know any Spanish."

But after just a few days, something clicked. The sounds around me became clearer. I could hear the spaces between the words and even started to pick apart the music. It didn’t mean I understood everything, but the language slowed down. I could follow conversations and understand words without constantly asking people to repeat themselves.

This was a perfect example of how fluency creates the illusion of speed. When you’re new to something, everything feels fast and confusing. But as you gain fluency, the complexity becomes manageable, and what once seemed impossible starts to feel like second nature.

This principle isn’t limited to language. In boxing, I once sparred after a long break and immediately realized how much I had lost. Despite having more experience and skill than my opponent, I was slow and uncoordinated because I hadn’t maintained regular practice. He, on the other hand, had stayed sharp and was able to move effortlessly, almost as if his actions were automatic.

Fluency isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about having so much experience and practice that your actions or understanding happen without much conscious effort. The key is consistent practice until the skill becomes second nature.

It’s Only Complicated Because You Don’t Know It

Another key insight I’ve gained from both chess and Spanish is that things seem complicated because they’re unfamiliar. When I first started learning chess, I was overwhelmed by the number of possible positions and moves. Every new position seemed like a mental puzzle that required significant effort to solve. But as I continued practicing, I began to notice patterns and common positions. The more I practiced, the more I recognized these familiar setups, and things started to feel less complicated.

This is the same in boxing. I used to struggle with even the most basic techniques, like how to throw a punch with proper form. But over time, and with enough practice, the mechanics of a punch became automatic. It wasn’t something I had to think about consciously anymore; it was part of my muscle memory.

This principle applies to mathematics too. When I first attempted calculus, the concepts were confusing and exhausting. But after breaking down the complex problems into their fundamental components, the process became much clearer. Understanding algebra, geometry, and trigonometry—the basic building blocks—allowed me to tackle more advanced concepts like calculus with ease.

The key takeaway here is that complexity is often a result of unfamiliarity. When you have enough exposure to something, it stops feeling complicated, and you can start to recognize patterns that make it easier to navigate.

“The most powerful belief you can have is that given enough time, you can learn anything.

-Hard Lessons From The Hurt Business: Boxing And The Art of Life

The Game is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told

In the street, there’s an old saying: “The game is to be sold, not to be told.” This means that no one can simply tell you how to master boxing, chess, or any skill; you have to learn through experience. You can’t achieve true fluency without putting in the effort, making mistakes, and solving problems independently.

This is something I’ve learned through every phase of my development. In boxing, I couldn’t just learn by watching videos or reading books. I had to get in the ring and spar. I learned how to fight by fighting.

The same applies to chess and Spanish. I couldn’t rely on theoretical knowledge alone. I had to put my knowledge into practice—playing games, speaking with locals, and actively engaging with the material.

This is where many learners get stuck: they want to learn quickly and easily, but fluency isn’t something that can be handed to you. It requires you to pay the price of effort and push through the discomfort of mistakes. Each mistake is a valuable lesson, one that moves you closer to mastery.

“The difficulty of a skill is irrelevant if it’s vital to your success.”

-Hard Lessons From The Hurt Business: Boxing And The Art of Life

Subpar Execution is Better Than Perfect Potential Unrealized

Finally, the most important lesson I’ve learned is that subpar execution is better than great potential unrealized. For example, when I first started speaking Spanish in Cartagena, I often stumbled over my words or used incorrect conjugations. But every time I attempted to speak, I improved. Even when I made mistakes, locals generally understood what I meant.

Even when my execution wasn’t perfect, I still got a better outcome—and moved closer to my goal—than had I said nothing and kept waiting until I knew the language “perfectly.” The sooner you realize that there’s no such thing as perfection, the sooner you can start getting experience, and the sooner you can improve.

This applies to all learning. When I struggled with math in high school, I practiced every problem I could find. When I couldn’t find any more problems, I bought books of problems and kept working.

In chess, I solve tactical problems and play speed games to prepare myself for competition. And in boxing, my improvement came from consistent sparring—putting in the work even when I wasn’t great at it.

Perfectionism is a trap. The only way to improve is to take action, make mistakes, and keep going. Progress doesn’t happen if you don’t put yourself in a position to look a little foolish.

Conclusion: Learning is a Journey, Not a Destination

Fluency in any skill—whether it’s language, chess, boxing, or physics—requires a commitment to mastering the basics, putting in the effort, and staying consistent through mistakes and challenges.

Fluency isn’t just about knowing everything; it’s about effortlessly using the core ideas from a discipline to generate a desired outcome. It’s about being able to perform effortlessly when it counts. You can only reach this point by getting a lot of repetitions, making mistakes, and learning from them—but only if you make the mistakes while working on the core principles of your discipline.

By focusing on the essentials, immersing yourself in the environment, and continually practicing, you can achieve fluency in any area.

Don’t wait until you’re perfect. Start practicing, make mistakes, and keep moving forward. Fluency will come—and when it does, it’ll feel like everything has slowed down, and the complex will become simple.

“When you can make slow movements fast, and fast movements slow, you’ll reach a level of mastery few will ever know.”

For more insights and a deeper look into Ed Latimore’s story, check his new book Hard Lessons From The Hurt Business: Boxing And The Art of Life, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold.