Lost my job

Whats up guys my name is John Reid, I am 38 and I live in the upstate of South Carolina. I picked a dramatic title because we all like drama and I really need some good advice! I was a chef for near 20 years and when COVID hit it knocked us all out. There's more to that story but to save time I will not go into it. I was enrolled in some robotics courses to get out of cooking but was in the process of opening my own restaurant in Jan 2020 as well. I needed change and I needed off the line. I was the Sous for the tenth best restaurant in the world in 2011 just to give credentials. Anyway, I had to have a job and I have to pay bills and by faith I took a job at a big truck shop (Semi/Tractor-Trailer) and have since began a career in the automotive/mechanic world. I've spent thousands and thousands on tools. It never ends. I know this forum and site is more car related but being all similar and I want to learn automotive as well - here I am. My question to you guys is how can I accellerate my experience and learning? Experience is a function of process and not neccessarily just time. Yes, I understand that it takes years and years of experience. I will probably never reach the level of ScannerDanners abilities but honestly, most of the problems I see are much more simple than some of the tough situations gone over on this website. A lot of times the problem is cut and dry. But I have an uncommon drive to succeed and I have some real gifts that God gave me to discern and understand complex problems. In my mind I am thinking I might could go to a junkyard and try fixing things? Maybe a little niave right? At days end....I need more case studies. I need explanations and troubleshooting narratives. I need access to wiring diagrams and just anything and everything that can help me get experience so I can move up. Any advice?

I wish I could give you a short cut
Funny thing about experience you don't aquire immediately after a succesful job I found most of it comes years later looking back on my mistakes.
A chef learns the same way learn the theory and manual skills and learn from mistakes not just yours but those around you. Every job you do or is happening in your shop store away some little fact.
The internet is a great tool always you have to find how a system works from circuit diagrams or be forced to figure it from basics, but take care there is a lot of crap advice out there. I can't understate how important it is to understand the basic concepts basic stuff

Experience is knowledge that appears right after you needed it !

There is lots and lots of information on the internet, obviously SD's book and videos - full of examples, but also in some of the less well travelled areas of YT. Just for example - Dead on Diagnostics www.youtube.com/channel/UCEc-fNH8e5YIrwXifqGBW5w This is no frills learning, no entertainment, no catchphrases but hours of dry presentation packed with information.

If you are not a visual learner then I frequently find www.vehicleservicepros.com is a great resource. Also join a couple of forums of cars you know something about and help people fix their own cars - like on here. Often interesting problems and you will find holes in your knowledge pretty fast when you have to explain it one step at a time - as well as figure out how to have someone test something without any proper test equipment - that I find has helped me with some shortcuts.

I find my biggest challenge is choosing one test that will eliminate 10 possible problem areas, rather than doing 10 tests, then as Andy said, you look back on it and think, if I did X test first that would have proved A-K all worked.

Oh and IMO if you have not already figured it out the 'scope is your best friend, especially for any problem with any form of intermittent nature.

Duplicated

Thanks Andy your right. And good advice Wrightscope....im on it. It's a new day for sure. It's hard to see how anybody fixed anything before youtube and the internet. I remember being a child in the 80's and looking back the problems dad had with his work van (electrical) we could have probably easily solved today. Thanks again

Trust God, lean not unto your own understanding, let him that lack of Wisdom ask of God that gives it liberally, pray without ceasing, you'll be amazed what you can do when God is in it

you really get to me with those words of yours, where are you texting from basically ?