A problem with drudgery and plateu

[Lincisman]

When I start doing something new, learning an unfamiliar skill or studying a topic which I know nothing about, flat learning curve where long hours of effort produces no results or improvement and drudgery comes up (at least for me). it feels uncomfortable and makes me uneasy. It makes me want to rush through the process or distract myself. I've read George Leonard's book, but it really is difficult to love the plateau.

So my questions are : How do you reframe the whole situation in your own mind in the moments like that? What mindset or mental imaging do you use to make yourself grounded in a moment of slow and boring practice?  How do you equip your mind to endure long and boring practices (drudgery) ? 

[lacsativ]

If, at least in theory, you know that what you are trying to learn will in one way or another bring you closer to what you want, then it becomes a matter of acclimatizing yourself with the initial awkwardness and discomfort specific in learning any new skill. 

To do this, I found consistent meditation with emphasis on concentration very useful (using breath as an object you bring your attention back to whenever you are distracted). Doing this for one hour a day will increase your capacity to pay attention to whatever you choose regardless of discomfort or frustration. I've noticed clear improvements after about 3-4 weeks. 

Now specifically to address the sense of discomfort and frustration any disruptive type of practice will help. The most useful for me was Wim Hof breathing method. 2-3 rounds of WH breathing will suffice. Make sure you do it first before sitting down to learn whatever it is you're trying to learn. I've found that it's not a good idea to sit down and learn straight after meditation because my mind is too still, whereas the learning activity requires me to be more mentally active. This is why is supplement with WH breathing right before I start learning (usually after meditating). 

You can also do a round of breathing whenever you feel like you're starting to get frustrated just to recalibrate. 

But don't neglect meditation. It's quite invaluable for long term attention training.