Four stages of a newly learned table tennis skill.
 
1. Awareness. Making a conscious decision to learn a new skill that can take you to the next level.
2. Knowing how and why it works for you and your game.
3. Dedicate yourself to install it into your subconscious game.
4. Knowing how to win with it.         
 
 
 
 
 
If you were a handyman by trade, and all you had in your toolbox were a few basic tools...    then you wouldn't be a very good handyman. As a table tennis player, you need a variety of evolving skills to maximize your potential. I'm sure it's safe to say, no matter where you are in your TT journey, you'd like to add or detail a particular skill or skills that would definitely take you to the next level. If you think this way, then you have the first stage, awareness. 
 
Or perhaps you play very consistently at one particular club and there's a player you just can't beat anymore. Your normal game isn't working so instead of avoiding that player, you realize you need to add a new weapon to your arsenal. 
 
Depending on your level, there's a wide variety of particular skills that could be mentioned. Too many to list. But you picked one after being aware of the need.
 
Next, understand how and why it works with your particular style. For example; early in my journey, I wanted to add a tomahawk serve to my arsenal. Little did I know that if the serve was somehow returned, I had to deal with all that funky spin coming back to me! By adding the serve to my game, I had to learn how to incorporate it successfully. 
 
Next comes the hard part. Dedicate yourself to not only learning it, but to install it so it becomes instinctive. This means losing while doing it. Focus on the big picture of when this process is complete and you can call on it instinctively during a rally. Most people give up without realizing they will take a step back before they take two steps forward. How long it takes depends on your level of dedication and the degree of difficulty of the skill along with your own ability. While coaching high school basketball, I once read for a general skill to become instinctive, a player had to do it repeatedly for 17 consecutive practices. Throw in how long it takes to un-learn bad habits and you can see how long this process may take. For myself, I not only had to first learn to loop a long under spin push, I had to convince myself to become an attacker or why would I loop in the first place? 
 
Once I totally committed to the attacking style, then...
The frustration started...  
Mistakes mounted...
Inconsistencies was the norm...
It took well over a year before I fully incorporated looping or attacking long balls into my game. It's not fun. You need to set up goals that will help you get through the pitfalls.
 
Next, the most important part; Learning to win with your new skill. When the match is down to its final moments, will you go back to what's safe and familiar to you, or will you trust your new skill, win or loose? Think about an 11 year old receiving a magic set for Christmas. By the end of the holiday he's performing a magic show for his family. Just because the boy knows how the trick works and he's able to do it, doesn't mean he's a magician. A real magician knows the trick so well he can perform it cold and the professional can entertain while doing it, even if something goes wrong along the way. It's because they trust their highly trained skills. They're confidently performing the hidden moves subconsciously while their conscience mind is involved with entertaining their audience. TT players know, things go wrong all the time. That's why we need to know our skills so well, we can improvise when things aren't going well.
 
Again, I believe most people get frustrated before this stage because they fear the consequences of messing up or being exploited before they get to know their new skill well enough to improvise. For instance, an attacker is taught to attack instead of block for obvious reasons. But you can't always attack. Your opponent is hitting to your weak spots, looking for your weaker block so they can control you. My point is that even though the ball is not optimal to attack, you must improvise your stroke and get some kind of spin to keep control of the table.
 
How many times have you warmed up with an opponent and they are unleashing wicked side top fore hands that are giving you fits just to block on the table? I've been there. Totally intimidated, and it's only a warm up! But I won the match because I used what was in my tool box to keep him from using his best tools! 
 
Finally, you can't know your skills enough. It's very important to play within yourself, but also to expand your skill set. There's a fine line between the two, especially during an important match. You have to be committed and comfortable even if you lose while doing it. After becoming aware and committing to the new skill, make it a goal to execute the skill with no fear of consequence. Remember, you have to win within yourself before you can win on the scoreboard. The step backwards builds character. The steps you take forward because of it, builds your game. And you will have a full box overflowing with the proper tools to be the best handyman you can be.
 
So become aware of a new skill or detail one already in your arsenal that will make you better.
 
Know how it fits and affects the rest of your game. Example; if you want to add, or detail a flip, realize you most likely should learn how to handle the types of returns your opponents will hit back to you.
 
Set a goal. Commit yourself not only to learning the actual skill, but to make it instinctive. Realize it takes a great deal of time. No quick fixes here. If it were easy, everyone would do it!
 
Know it so well, you can strategize around it. Make it a part of your winning game.