For decades, the 70-20-10 model has shaped how organizations think about learning and development. The premise is simple and appealing: roughly 70% of learning comes from experience, 20% from social interaction and mentorship, and just 10% from formal instruction. It’s elegant. It’s influential. And in many cases, it’s right. But there’s a catch. When the model was first articulated in the 1980s, it largely described how experienced professionals developed leadership skills over time. It assumed something important: the learners already had a foundation.  So what happens when they don’t? For career changers, new technical learners, and people entering entirely unfamiliar fields,