Small steps, real project
Define 'good enough'
Start with a concrete outcome: "build a spreadsheet that tracks my household bills", "hold a 10-minute conversation in Spanish", "edit a short video for my club". Tell the AI the outcome, your starting point and the hours per week you really have. A plan built around a real result beats a syllabus.
Small weekly steps
Ask for a plan in weekly chunks, each with one thing to learn, one thing to practise and one small thing to make. Our Zero-to-Competent Skill Roadmap and Learn Any Skill in 30 Days prompts do this. Expect to rewrite the plan after two weeks; first plans are always wrong about what's hard.
Practice with feedback
Skills improve through focused practice on the parts you're weak at, with quick feedback. That is the core of what researchers call deliberate practice. AI can give feedback on writing, code, translations and plans in seconds. Ask it to be specific and critical, and to give you one thing to fix next rather than ten.
Use real resources too
AI plans work best when they point you at good material: a well-reviewed course, an official tutorial, a textbook, a community of people learning the same thing. Ask the AI to recommend resources, then check they exist and are current. Real people (a mentor, a class, an online group) add motivation that a chatbot can't.
What skill have you meant to learn for more than a year? What would 'good enough' actually look like?