Can you estimate the real time that developing a new skill will require?
Want to beat me at chess? That would probably take a couple dozen hours of determined practice, if you know the game at all. For me to become a grandmaster would take thousands of hours, and is probably beyond my ability to grow in this lifetime.
To become proficient in a new instrument will take a thousand hours or more…but if you don’t start today, those hours will still be there. And even when you master an instrument, a new piece might require 5 hours or 50 hours, depending on its demands.
Recognize whether it’s a a 10 hour skill, a 100 hour skill, or a 1,000 hour skill.
Understanding the real time helps me to budget time, prioritize, and have realistic expectations for my growth. Then, of course, I need to actually put in the hours.