DIY fanatics like myself consider Adam Savage (of Mythbusters fame) to be one of the gods of DIY.
The man can build really cool stuff out of a pile of random stuff, and his diverse skillset, knowledge of materials, and boundless imagination make him an inspiration for crafty folks the world over, so when he shared his 10 Commandments For Makers at the 2014 Maker Faire in San Francisco people paid attention.
Among Adam’s shining bits of advice are these two gems:
4. Use a project to learn a skill. I don't know about you but I need a goal to learn a skill. I can't deconstruct and just learn welding for welding's sake. I need to have something that only welding will bring me. Look around and find something you need to build. Something you can't help but build.
7. Discouragement and failure are intrinsic to the process. Don't hide from these. Talk about them. They're not enemies to be avoided, they're friends, designed to teach your humility. Go easy on yourself. Don't compare yourself to others; go ahead and be envious of others' skills, because frequently you can't not. Use that.
The video clocks in at a whopping 43 minutes, but if you’re only interested in hearing Adam’s sage advice you’re in luck, because you only have to watch the first ten minutes of the video to have your DIY life changed forever!
-Via Lifehacker
I would have modified his tenth rule to "Plan on using more material than you planed on using."