The problem isn’t learning — it’s choosing how to learn

We all want to learn something new — yoga, singing, strength training, coding, public speaking, tennis, anything. And every time, the same question quietly appears: Should I hire a coach or can I learn this myself?

In today’s world, options multiply faster than clarity. We have YouTube tutorials, recorded MOOCs, online coaches, in-person trainers, group classes, solo practice… and too many reviews to read. Ironically, choosing how to learn now consumes more time and energy than the learning itself.

I’ve wrestled with this too — and eventually found a simple mental model that helps me make faster, more confident decisions. Before I share it, let me start with a small story from my gym.

I used to show up at the gym every morning, almost automatically. For me, consistency was the easy part. But I noticed something interesting.

Some of my gym mates wouldn’t come unless their trainer called them personally.

Sometimes the trainer made two or three phone calls before the person even arrived. And once they arrived, the coach had to motivate them through every rep, every set — almost the entire workout.

For them, the coach was the accelerator — the reason they showed up at all. For me, the trainer was not about motivation. I never needed someone to push me or “make me come to the gym.” But I did need a trainer to:

• ensure I wasn’t injuring myself
• correct my form
• help me use my effort efficiently
• avoid strength plateaus

My reason for needing a coach was completely different from theirs. That’s when it hit me: We don’t hire coaches for the same reasons.

And we don’t need a coach for every skill. This insight connected beautifully with an idea from Indian mythology. In the Indian epic Mahabharata, two iconic archers represent two opposite learning styles:

Eklavya

A self-taught archer with extraordinary determination. He learned in the forest, practicing relentlessly without direct human coaching. His commitment and discipline made him one of the finest archers of his time.

Arjun

A prince and student of the legendary teacher Dronacharya. Arjun benefited from structured coaching, real-time correction, personalized guidance, and a rigorous training environment. He thrived under expert instruction.

Both became exceptional — but through very different learning systems. This inspired what I now call: The Eklavya–Arjun Learning Model – A mental model for deciding when to self-learn and when to hire a coach.

Every skill you want to learn falls into one of two zones.

1. The Eklavya zone — self-driven learning

Choose this path when:

• your motivation is naturally high
• you value flexibility in time and pace
• you love independent exploration
• online resources (YouTube, MOOCs, books) are enough
• cost or availability of a coach is a barrier
• mistakes are low-cost and easily correctable

In this zone, you don’t need a human coach to stay consistent. You already show up — like I did at the gym. This is where self-learning shines. And yes — it often aligns with introverts who enjoy thinking, experimenting and learning alone.

1. The Arjun zone — coach-driven learning

Choose this when:

• you struggle with consistency
• technique, form, or alignment matter
• there is a risk of injury (physical or reputational)
• unlearning mistakes is costly
• real-time correction accelerates progress
• accountability boosts productivity

This is the zone where human coaching multiplies your results. Think of a personal trainer fixing your squat form. Extroverts often flourish here — the human presence energizes and motivates them.

To sum up –

Don’t over-coach your strengths – Self-learn where flexibility matters.

Don’t under-coach your weaknesses – Hire a coach where precision matters.

This one decision alone can save hundreds of hours and thousands of rupees. Both Eklavya and Arjun became masters. The magic lies in identifying your zones with honesty.

Neither path is superior. What matters is choosing the right approach for the right skill — at the right moment in your life.

This model has saved me time, money, and mental friction. I hope it does the same for you.

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