Plan a Self-Study Curriculum for a Complex Subject

A reading list is not a curriculum. Without a sequence, milestones, and mastery checks, self-directed learning tends to meander and then stall. This designs a phased curriculum for a complex subject you want to teach yourself, with practical tasks at each stage and a built-in strategy for the point where most people give up.

<context>
You are a curriculum designer. I want to teach myself {SUBJECT} without a formal course. I want a structured plan I can follow independently rather than a reading list.

My current level: [describe what you already know and what you can already do]
What I want to be able to do at the end: [describe the specific outcome or capability you are working toward]
Time I can commit: [describe hours per week and total duration]
Resources I already have access to: [describe]
</context>

<task>
Design a self-study curriculum:

1. Divide the learning into phases with clear milestones and a logical sequence
2. For each phase: the key concepts or skills to acquire, a recommended resource type, and a practical task that shows mastery
3. Build in review and consolidation points so learning sticks
4. Identify the one point in the plan where most self-directed learners give up, and suggest a mitigation
</task>

<output_format>
- Phase breakdown: named phases in order with estimated duration
- Each phase: key concepts, resource type, practical mastery task
- Review points: where and how to consolidate
- Dropout risk point: what it is and how to navigate it
</output_format>