AI’s Learning Curve Is Brutal—Here’s How I’m Surviving It

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Hello my friend ☕️ 

It’s Ke Dezemba boss!

For some of us though, there’s still deliverables looming…

We are not out of the woods yet…

But, we solider on!

My work deadlines aside, the Comic Book is coming together nicely, and we are still pushing to drop the first draft to you on Christmas day.

Ho ho ho!

For today though, I want to dive in a bit about what I learnt about er, learning during the process…

Why Learning Models Matter Now More Than Ever

Imagine you are in the middle of a project where nothing seems to work.

The tools feel more like obstacles than solutions.

You learn something new today.

Things change tomorrow…

This is me while trying to create the visuals for the comic book project using AI tools.

MidJourney has been unpredictable.

Stable Diffusion has a steep learning curve.

I had to rethink how to get the character images consistent.

Practically, I found myself leaning on the 70/20/10 learning model:

• 70% “on-the-job” experience

• 20% learning from others

• 10% formal education

This model really helps navigate the gap between theory and practical mastery.

The Science Behind the 70/20/10 Model

The 70/20/10 model emphasizes that most learning happens in the trenches, not the classroom. For me, this is:

• 70%: Practical, hands-on experience.

• 20%: Social learning.

• 10%: Formal education.

This model is the antidote to over-reliance on theory.

The biggest breakthroughs come from doing the work and leveraging others’ expertise.

Applying the 70/20/10 Model to My AI Learning Journey

Although I’m not an AI expert, tackling Midjourney and Chatgpt with the 70/20/10 framework transformed how I approached the challenges of the comic book, and consistent character images:

1. 70% Learning by Doing: Hands-on experience beats theoretical knowledge: The best way to learn is to dive in, make mistakes, and solve problems in real time. I spent hours tweaking prompts and testing - this taught me what worked and what didn’t. What the current limitations are. Now, I’m not so intimidated to dive into Stable Diffusion and training of LoRA models myself to solve the challenge. Problem is, there’s only a couple weeks left till the Christmas drop to your inbox!

2. 20% Learning from Others: Community accelerates growth: Mentors and peers can provide shortcuts, emotional support, and alternative perspectives. AI art communities and (Youtube) mentors showed me how others are doing the same thing and how to solve certain problems.

3. 10% Learning from Formal Resources: Formal learning has its place—but it’s not the whole game: Think of it as a map, not the journey itself. Tutorials and documentation gave me the basics of Midjourney parameters and prompting, but the basics are not enough. As for the Stable Diffusion setup….

The result?

An emphasis on learning by doing.

I’m not intimidated by the pace of change in the AI space.

I’m focused on solving the problems in front of me, eagerly awaiting the next updates.

The parallels to professional development are striking. Whether you’re leading a team, learning a new technology, or navigating a career pivot, the 70/20/10 model can help you approach challenges with clarity and structure.

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How You Can Apply the 70/20/10 Model Today

Ready to transform how you learn? Here’s how to start:

1. Identify a Skill or Challenge: Write down what you want to master.

2. Apply the 70/20/10 Model:

   • Spend 70% of your time actively doing the work.

   • Dedicate 20% to learning from others.

   • Use 10% for structured study.

3. Get Feedback: Create loops to evaluate progress and adjust your approach.

4. Start Now: Don’t wait for perfect conditions—growth begins with action.

Closing Thoughts

Learning is a process, not a destination.

The 70/20/10 model reminded me that most growth happens in the messy, unpredictable moments where theory meets action.

Whether you’re tackling a Comic Book using AI like me, or leadership challenges as a manager, lean into the discomfort of learning as part of the process.

That’s where mastery begins.

What skill are you working on right now?

I’d love to hear about it and your challenges - just reply to this mail.

Until next week, jump in the trenches and keep learning my friend! ☕️ 

Cheers for now!
Vaugan