I think that in order to learn the command line, you have to immediately develop a different goal that requires proficient use of the command line. That way it

I think that in order to learn the command line, you have to immediately develop a different goal that requires proficient use of the command line. That way it'll force you to learn by doing. Command line is not one of those self-contained "deep" knowledge bases where everything links together. It's broad, shallow, unlinked - the concepts and practices do not always imply themselves. For bodies of knowledge that fit that pattern, you have to learn by doing - you can't simply derive the knowledge through study and thought. And the best way to learn by doing is to immediately apply it to something useful.