Three things I learned to use that helped with learning quickly: spaced repetition, the Feynman method, and following practice with self assessment/quizzing. Spaced repetition when taking notes and reviewing new concepts to help with retention. The Feynman method is eli5 to see where a reliance on jargon or assumptions may mask a lack of understanding. And quizzing after practice helps highlight where more work would be best spent during the next practice or lesson.
First: There is a certain amount of time you have to dedicate to a task to complete it. Estimate that amount of time, estimate how much time you actually have left to do it, and adjust the goal or deadline if necessary. This avoids the classic “huh maybe I’ll do it this weekend or whenever I feel like it” proceeds to not do anything for a month.
Second: Writing stuff down on a physical piece of paper is valuable. I’m sure this doesn’t apply for all people, but I believe having all of your notes/tasks/ect. on a computer screen is not the most optimal for our brains to process.
You not only have the abstraction of the current task, but also you’re viewing it through a small 13 inch window on a generic document that sits somewhere on the abstract device called “your computer” or “your cloud”. All of that information sits in your mind and takes up cognitive power from other tasks.
This is why I think writing stuff down is useful - it’s making use of all of your other senses, which are subconscious. The things you write are unique. They have their own physical weight, their own look and mood reflected in your handwriting, they’re located in a certain space on your desk or drawer, or maybe you scribbled a random picture on it.
Your brain automatically remembers these random details and helps you organize them. When you’re looking for a note or document it’s much easier to go to a physical place and say “there!” than to browse folders or websites on a computer.
Ask why.
Need to learn X? Ask why. Why you want to do it might point to a better way of getting what you really want. Asking why one does something in doing X will tell you how process relates to result, informing better decisions.
Did somebody do something wrong? Ask why. Whether it was because they misunderstood or were just an ass, you’ll know better what to do with them.
Wondering what happened? Asking why will usually get you the who, what, where, when, and how as part of the answer.
Pomodoro
If you struggle with imposter syndrome just look down on and degrade others:
If that fucking moron can do it, so can i.
Weirdly wholesome
Skill is (almost) a linear function of time spent.
Want to get better at something ? Just do it more. Learning about it can increase the factor, but it won’t actually increase skill directly.
« C’est en forgeant qu’on devient forgeron »
( It is by smithing that one becomes a smith. French proverb )
Many, many things are what’s called a “perishable skill.” If you don’t use the skill, or a language for that matter, it will atrophy and you will forget how to do it.
Usually more of a logarithmic relationship though
Either way, keeping at it is essential
If it takes only two minutes, do it right away.
Three slow deep breaths when you are stressed. Didn’t work? Another three deep breaths then. Rinse and repeat.
I’m constantly breathing
Keep up the good work bud!
Crunch the numbers. Many topics can be expressed via numerical values and the results can be quite surprising.
It’s also useful to have data to back up your argument.
Always invert. When you’re thinking about any problem, try to figure out how you can make it worse, then make really sure you avoid doing that.
Want to be happy? Find out what makes you sad and if you can avoid it.
Want to lose weight, how do people who try to gain weight go about it?
Want to convince someone of something? How do you go about making sure they will dig their heels in?
Need to carry a couch up a flight of stairs? How do you break you back and pinch your fingers?
I guess this is the model that governments are using these days to try to figure out how to save democracy
Figure out first how to destroy it … then you can know how to save it
But I think they’re going a little overboard in the first half of that process
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth half-assing. Don’t get caught in the details of trying to do something perfectly if it would benefit you more to do it at all.
I like this summarized as “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good enough.”
You get better at something by learning and practising. Sounds so dumb and simplistic and obvious, but it amazes me how difficult people find it to truly accept and internalise this.
Shit at cooking? You can improve.
Shit at talking? You can improve.
Shit as a friend/spouse/parent? You can improve.
Shit at reining in your emotions? You can improve.
You could literally practice to be a funnier person if you wanted.
I guess this is now popularised as “growth mindset”.
Learning the growth mindset in my early 20s drastically changed my life for the better.
Before committing to doing a thing you’re conflicted about, brainstorm about it twice. Once when sober. And once when not. If it seems like a good idea in both states, it will typically lead to having no regrets on the matter even if it doesn’t work out like you hoped.
I’ll be on the lookout for a way to implement it
A smart man always knows what to say, a wise man knows when not to say it.
It’s the life equivalent of typing out a comment only to then delete it and move on.
Just because you know something, or know a better way, doesn’t mean you have to tell everyone. That mental exercise plays into my other tool: Let them.
Let them be wrong, let them fill the silence they created, let them get bent out of shape, and let them try to figure it out. Sometimes, they’ll get to where you already are; other times, they’ll figure out an approach you didn’t even consider, or you’ll realize that you were the one who was wrong the whole time. Let people be people. Listen, look, learn, and then, when you’re ready, when it’s needed, lead.
Oh, and don’t give people answers to questions they didn’t ask. They’re less likely to listen to you. When they’re ready for the answer, they’ll ask.
It was tough not to delete this comment, but I’ll let the paradox stand as is.
Appreciate this one, thanks for not deleting
95% is sometimes better than 100%.
