There’s a difference between know what and know how.

There’s a difference between knowing about a thing and knowing how to do a thing.

You can learn about cooking without ever really learning how to cook.

You can study music without being able to produce it.

Our language for each category is not always clear, but we often refer to know what as “knowledge” and know how as “skill”.

You can have academic or theoretical or abstract knowledge. And you can separately have personal or experiential or concrete skill.

Both interrelate with each other. Both influence each other. Neither is bounded with sharp lines.

We tend to learn each of them in different ways.

It seems that knowledge is often acquired receptively through teaching or observation. Skill is almost exclusively acquired interactively through practice.

Because of this distinction, when you are trying to learn something new it’s important to be clear about what you want to learn.

If you want to learn knowledge, there are many tools and techniques available, and you can select what works best for you.

If you want to learn skill, seemingly nothing but direct, personal, interactive practice will teach it.

Know what comes in many ways.

Know how comes through practice.

If you want to learn knowledge, start in the way that best suits you.

If you want to learn skill, start practicing.