I’ve been looking for better ways of learning and improving my SQL Server skills. Blogs, BOL, webcasts, and training videos are great learning aids. Having the right tools and method makes a lot of difference. Building a SQL Server VM Playground to put the lessons in practice is a vital part of the learning process.

In The 4-Hour Chef,Timothy Ferriss suggests a recipe for learning any skill, which is pretty much applicable to learning SQL Server:

Deconstruction – What are the minimal learnable units, the LEGO blocks, I should be starting with?

Selection – Which 20% of the blocks should I focus on for 80% or more of the outcome I want?

Sequencing - In what order should I learn the blocks?

Stakes – How do I set up stakes to create real consequences and guarantee I follow the program?

“Where do I start?” is always the first question we ask when we want to learn something new. And the answer to that is the fundamentals – the building blocks.

The same is true with SQL Server. You want to learn how to be great at Performance Tuning? Learn the Database Structure and Index Internals. You want to master Disaster Recovery? Learn the Data Storage and Backup Internals. It’s always going back to the basics.

With a huge system such as SQL Server, learning just the basics alone can still be overwhelming. You need to deconstruct SQL Server into “minimal learnable units”. You have to select and line up what you want to learn in a sequence that aligns to your learning goals.

Sometimes you just know what you want and how to get it. You want to become better at skill x, and you know that getting there would take y and z.

But you can raise the bar one notch.

You can study and learn on your own but wouldn’t it be great if someone can give you guidance and direction – someone that will not only show you the ropes but will also help you find the most effective way of achieving your desired outcome.

Get a mentor who’ll bring out the best in you.

I am currently under the mentorship of Edwin Sarmiento (b | t). He’s doing a great deal of work in helping the SQL Sever Community around the world (check his MVP Profile). This is my first experience having a mentor in learning and building my SQL Server skills. I should have done this sooner.

Wikipedia defines Mentorship this way:

“Mentorship is a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. However, true mentoring is more than just answering occasional questions or providing ad hoc help. It is about an ongoing relationship of learning, dialog, and challenge.”

There are three things to take away from that definition:

Learning – Since your mentor is someone who has “been there, done that”, he exactly knows how to deconstruct the challenges you’re facing based on your strength and weaknesses. A relationship between you and your mentor must therefore be established prior to your mentoring sessions.

Dialog – A line of communication should always be open between you. A good mentor is someone who provides an open channel through which he makes himself accessible at any reasonable time. A constant dialog must be in place to communicate what’s needed on both side.

Challenge – We become better by overcoming challenges. A great mentor provides challenges that are tailored to test our aptitude. Not only that, challenges keep the process interesting. On the mentor’s side, the real challenge for him is not only to help us get closer to our goals but also to make us see our Purpose.

Do you have a mentor?