🧠 Learning Hacks

How to Learn Like Someone Who Aced the MIT Challenge

December 29, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

The four principles of ultralearning.

In 2014, Scott H. Young embarked on a controversial project.

He completed the MIT undergraduate computer science curriculum at 4x speed. Instead of the typical four years, he passed all final exams in less than 12 months.

Some people praise his results as the ultralearning experience.

Others are more skeptical as Scott transformed his MIT challenge into lucrative blogs and books. Here’s a question some people ask:

Is Scott a sneaky marketer or one of the most efficient life-long learners?

And while I’ll share my opinion at the end of this article, the answer doesn’t really matter. What matters is what we can learn from his learning journey.

These are Scott’s tips on how to become an ultralearner and quadruple your learning efficiency.

Use directness to improve learning effectiveness

Learning in formal settings is often ineffective because it’s distant from the actual application. Let’s take an example.

Imagine you’re a frequent flier. Before every start, you watch the video of a flight attendant putting on the life vest. You watch the video again and again.

But as this study shows, actually putting on the inflatable life vest a single time would be more valuable than repeatedly watching another person doing it. You acquire true mastery by performing the procedure yourself.

Social climber Dale Carnegie used to say knowledge isn’t power until it’s applied. And it’s true.

Don’t spend your time on tasks far away from your end goal. If you want to write online articles, don’t spend time watching a masterclass on how to write a book. Foster a bias towards direct action.

The directness principle is a powerful way to make learning more efficient.

How to do it:

What’s your end goal behind learning?

Let’s say you want to learn writing. What do you want to use it for? Is it for writing a novel? Then start learning to write by writing a novel. Is it for earning an extra income? Then start studying submission guidelines for paid online platforms and pitch your articles there.

Whatever you learn, focus on your true end-goal and pick a practice that’s as close to it as possible.

Feynman’s technique helps you remember anything

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918–1988) was an expert for remembering what he learned — by teaching.

Teaching is the most effective way to embed information in your mind. Plus, it’s an easy way to check whether you’ve remembered what you learned.

Because before you teach, you have to take several steps: filter relevant information, organize this information, and use your own vocabulary to paraphrase the concepts.

Feynman mastered this process like no other. The people of his time knew him for explaining the most complex processes in the simplest language. They nicknamed Feynman “The Great Explainer.”

Bill Gates was so inspired by his pedagogy that he even named Feynman “the greatest teacher I never had.”

How to do it:

The Feynman Technique consists of three simple steps:

Summarize whatever you want to learn on a blank page.
Explain what you learned in plain, simple language as if you were talking to a child.
Identify your knowledge gaps and revisit the concepts whenever you’re stuck circle back to your knowledge source.
Reread what you forgot to mention and add it to your explanation.

By following this technique, your learning by ‘first principles’ instead of superficial memorization.

“The person who says he knows what he thinks but cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks.”

— Mortimer J. Adler

Create a meta-learning map

No life skill can earn you greater dividends than learning how to learn. Yet, most people don’t know how to master meta-learning.

Meanwhile, taking responsibility for your learning is one of the most important undertakings you can manage.

Your meta-learning map serves as a knowledge tree for your practice and will help you learn better. Scott Young, the author of ultralearning, says a meta-learning map should contain three key items:

Concepts: Anything that needs to be understood.
Facts: Anything that needs to be memorized.
Procedures: Anything that needs to be practiced.

How to do it:

Make a learning map before you dive into any specific skill.

If you want to write paid articles, don’t start by practicing headlines. Instead, list all the things you need to acquire, like style, editing, storytelling, research, headlines, and a solid idea-to-paper process.

Unsure how to start the map? Find people who mastered the skill you want to learn and ask them about their learning paths.

Do you want to publish a bestselling non-fiction novel? Craft personal, short e-mails and send them to Malcolm Gladwell, Brené Brown, Nicolas Cole, James Clear, and all the other successful authors. Ask them about the core skills they needed to master. Then, start drafting your own map.

Unlock the power of self-testing

Many people feel traumatized when they think of formal test settings. But testing can be a powerful tool to improve the way we learn.

Because self-testing helps us overcome the illusion of knowledge and shows us whether we truly mastered the subject at hand. Plus, self-testing helps to identify knowledge gaps and brings weak areas to the light.

Even if you don’t get the right answer, the process facilitates remembering the correct answer. In almost all cases, it’s better to solve a problem than memorizing a solution.

Use the testing process to learn more as you go along. Always test yourself before you feel confident and push yourself to recall information, not just review it.

How to do it:

My favorite testing techniques include flashcards with a built-in spaced repetition feature (like Anki for anything, readwise for books, podcasts, highlights, or lingvist for languages).

Apart from flashcards, you can also use free recall. After reading something, try to write down everything you can remember, then use the source material to fill the gaps you missed. After your session, sit down with a piece of blank paper. Challenge yourself to list everything you can remember from what you’ve learned in as much detail as possible.

A third alternative includes the question-book method. Here you write down questions that test the content and answer these questions whenever you revisit the source. Ali Abdaal explains the active recall method in one of his learning videos.

Did Scott Young really finish the MIT curriculum?

Yes and no.

Yes, because he achieved his goal of ‘just wanting to learn more about Computer Science.’

No, because he self-graded his exams, skipped advanced course modules, and replaced peer-projects with less intense modules.

There are plenty of discussions that shed more light on Young’s underlying assumptions. And meanwhile, he also shared a critical reflection on his learning path.

But there’s a more important lesson here: With the right tools, learning any new skill is possible.

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How to Remember What You Read From Non-Fiction Books

December 14, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

A guide for applying evidence-based learning strategies to reading any non-fiction book, and retaining what you read.

A woman sits at a desk while reading a book. — Christina Morillo / Pexels

At age 18, I felt most school lessons were time-wasters. To save future pupil generations from what I had suffered through, I decided to change the education system. And if that wasn’t naïve enough, I assumed studying business education would get me there.

Where, if not in an education program at university, should you learn how to learn?

I was wrong. There were no classes on learning or cognitive science. Being assigned dry, academic, self-promoted professor books, I hadn’t figured how the right books could teach you anything. Instead, I asked the best-performing fellow students about their learning techniques and copied their bulk-learning and memorizing. But after graduation, I felt dumb. I forgot almost everything from my classes.

A Bachelor’s degree taught me how to learn to ace exams. But it didn’t teach me how to learn to remember.

Different studies reveal most students never learn how to learn. Kornell & Bjork and Hartwig & Dunlosky, for example, show that 65% to 80% of students answered “no” to the question “Do you study the way you do because somebody taught you to study that way?”

From the ones who answered “yes,” some likely watched the most-popular Coursera course of all time: Dr. Barabara Oakley’s free course on “Learning how to Learn.” So did I. And while this course taught me about chunking, recalling, and interleaving, I learned something more useful: the existence of non-fiction literature that can teach you anything.

So I read—a lot. Since 2017 I have read about 150 non-fiction books about how our minds work, how children learn, and how education might solve global health problems, to name a few. I was fascinated by education and learning; I skipped the corporate career and became a Teach for All fellow to learn more about learning.

Yet, about 80 books into my reading journey, something felt odd. Whenever a conversation revolved around a serious non-fiction book I read, such as ‘Sapiens’ or ‘Thinking Fast and Slow,’ I could never remember much. Turns out, I hadn’t absorbed as much information as I’d believed. Since I couldn’t remember much, I felt as though reading wasn’t an investment in knowledge but mere entertainment.

I know many others feel the same. When I opened up about my struggles, many others confessed they also can’t remember most of what they read, as if forgetting is a character flaw. But it isn’t.

Forgetting most of what we read isn’t a character flaw. It’s the way we work with books that’s flawed.

Once I understood how we learn — through online courses, books, and Teach for All — I realized there’s a better way to read. Most people rely on techniques like highlighting, rereading, or, worst of all, completely passive reading, which are highly ineffective. It’s only logical most people forget almost anything they read.

Since I started applying evidence-based learning strategies to reading non-fiction books, many things have changed. I can explain complex ideas during dinner conversations. I can recall interesting concepts and link them in my writing or podcasts. As a result, people come to me for all kinds of advice. Plus, I was invited to speak at panel discussions, got paid for content curation, and have received high-level job opportunities. I finally feel like reading is a true investment in knowledge.

And if I, a former naïve clueless mouflon monster can do it, you can do it, too. But before you learn how this system works, let’s explore why it works. To become a truly effective learner, we need to understand the key aspects of human learning and memory.

What’s the Architecture of Human Learning and Memory?

Human brains don’t work like recording devices. We don’t absorb information and knowledge by reading sentences.

Instead, we store new information in terms of its meaning to our existing memory. And we give new information meaning by actively participating in the learning process — we interpret, connect, interrelate, or elaborate. To remember new information, we not only need to know it but also to know how it relates to what we already know.

That’s why memory and the process of learning are closely connected. Radvansky, a researcher for human memory and cognition, explains the connection in his book:

“Memory is a site of storage and enables the retrieval and encoding of information, which is essential for the process of learning. Learning is dependent on memory processes because previously-stored knowledge functions as a framework in which newly learned information can be linked.”

Three stages of human memory processing

Human memory works in three stages: acquisition, retention, and retrieval. In the acquisition phase, we link new information to existing knowledge; in the retention phase, we store it, and in the retrieval phase, we get information out of our memory.

We use our memory to encode information, retain it, and then access and use our memory to make decisions, interact with others, or solve problems.

Here, we need to understand that the three phases interrelate. Retrieval, the third stage, is cue dependent. This means the more mental links you’re generating during stage one, the acquisition phase, the easier you can access and use your knowledge.

In the words of a research group around Bjork, a renowned human learning and memory researcher:

“To be a sophisticated learner requires understanding that creating durable and flexible access to to-be-learned information is partly a matter of achieving a meaningful encoding of that information and partly a matter of exercising the retrieval process.”

Now, the question is: how can we achieve meaningful encoding and effectively exercise the retrieval process?

Evidence-Based Learning Strategies, Why They Work, And How You Can Apply Them

We’ve established a basic understanding of how our human memory works (acquisition, retention, retrieval). Next, we’ll look at the learning strategies that work best for our brains (elaboration, retrieval, spaced repetition, interleaving, self-testing) and see how we can apply those insights to reading non-fiction books.

The strategies that follow are rooted in research from professors of Psychological & Brain Science around Henry Roediger and Mark McDaniel. Both scientists spent ten years bridging the gap between cognitive psychology and education fields. Harvard University Press published their findings in the book ‘Make It Stick.’

I applied their evidence-based learning techniques for reading. Since I use these techniques, I feel reading indeed is a true investment in knowledge. I can access what I want to remember and use it for writing, podcasting, conversation, or self-improvement.

The strategies presented follow in chronological order and apply to both physical books and e-readers. There are extra supportive capabilities for Kindles that I will explain afterward.

#1 Elaboration

Elaborating means you explain and describe an idea in your own words. Thereby you consciously associate material you want to learn with what you’ve previously learned. In the words of Roediger & McDaniel: “Elaboration is the process of giving new material meaning by expressing it in your own words and connecting it with what you already know.”

Why elaboration works: Elaborative rehearsal encodes information into your long-term memory more effectively. The more details and the stronger you connect new knowledge to what you already know, the better because you’ll be generating more cues. And the more cues they have, the easier you can retrieve your knowledge.

How I apply elaboration: Whenever I read an interesting section, I pause and ask myself about the real-life connection and potential application. The process is invisible, and my inner monologues sound like: “This idea reminds me of…, This insight conflicts with…, I don’t really understand how…, ” etc.

For example, when I learned about A/B testing in ‘The Lean Startup,’ I thought about applying this method to my startup. I added a note on the site stating we should try it in user testing next Wednesday. Thereby the book had an immediate application benefit to my life, and I will always remember how the methodology works.

How you can apply elaboration: Elaborate while you read by asking yourself meta-learning questions like “How does this relate to my life? In which situation will I make use of this knowledge? How does it relate to other insights I have on the topic?”

While pausing and asking yourself these questions, you’re generating important memory cues. If you take some notes, don’t transcribe the author’s words but try to summarize, synthesize, and analyze.

Elaboration applied by making notes in a book. — Elaboration applied: Remarks in ‘The Lean Startup’ (Source: Author)

#2 Retrieval

With retrieval, you try to recall something you’ve learned in the past from your memory. While retrieval practice can take many forms — take a test, write an essay, do a multiple-choice test, practice with flashcards — some forms are better than others, as the authors of ‘Make It Stick’ state: “While any kind of retrieval practice generally benefits learning, the implication seems to be that where more cognitive effort is required for retrieval, greater retention results.”

Why retrieval works: The more time has gone since your information consumption, the more difficult time you’ll have to retrieve it. Naturally, a few days after we learn something, forgetting sets in. And that’s why retrieval is so powerful. Retrieval strengthens your memory and interrupts forgetting and, as other researchers replicate, as a learning event, the act of retrieving information is considerably more potent than is an additional study opportunity, particularly in terms of facilitating long-term recall.

How I apply retrieval: I retrieve a book’s content from my memory by writing a book summary for every book I want to remember. I ask myself questions like: “How would you summarize the book in three sentences? Which concepts do you want to keep in mind or apply? How does the book relate to what you already know?”

I then publish my summaries on Goodreads or write an article about my favorite insights, like here with Ben Horowitz, Elizabeth Gilbert, or Brené Brown.

How you can apply retrieval: You can come up with your own questions or use mine. If you don’t want to publish your summaries in public, you can write a summary into your journal, start a book club, create a private blog, or initiate a WhatsApp group for sharing book summaries.

Whatever you settle for, be careful not to copy/paste the words from the author. If you don’t do the brain work yourself, you’ll skip the learning benefits of retrieval. You want to use your own memory, even if it feels hard. By thinking about the concepts and giving new information your meaning, you’re creating an effective learning experience.

Retrieval applied through a chapter-by-chapter summary. — Retrieval applied: Chapter-by-chapter Goodreads Summary (Source: Screenshot Author)

#3 Spaced Repetition

With spaced repetition, you repeat the same piece of information across increasing intervals. The harder it feels to recall the information, the stronger the learning effect. “Spaced practice, which allows some forgetting to occur between sessions, strengthens both the learning and the cues and routes for fast retrieval,” Roediger & McDaniel write.

Why it works: It might sound counterintuitive, but forgetting is essential for learning. Spacing out practice might feel less productive than rereading a text because you’ll realize what you forgot. Your brain has to work harder to retrieve your knowledge, which is a good indicator of effective learning.

So, spaced repetition prevents your brain from forgetting. Research shows repeating the same information ten times over different days is a better way to remember things than repeating the same information twenty times on a single day.

How I apply spaced repetition: After some weeks, I revisit a book and look at the summary questions (see #2). I try to come up with my answer before I look up my actual summary. I can often only remember a fraction of what I wrote and have to look at the rest. I’ll also evaluate whether I’ve applied the knowledge nuggets to my life and, if not, why I didn’t.

The process is quite time-intense, but whenever I feel it’s a timewaster, I remember Ratna Kusnur’s quote on the importance of applying theoretical non-fiction concepts: “Knowledge trapped in books neatly stacked is meaningless and powerless until applied for the betterment of life.”

How you can apply spaced repetition: You can revisit your book summary medium of choice and test yourself on what you remember. What were your action points from the book? Have you applied them? If not, what hindered you?

By testing yourself in varying intervals on your book summaries, you’ll strengthen both learning and cues for fast retrieval. If you read on your Kindle, there’s software to assist you with spaced repetition—more on that after the next two techniques.

Spaced repetition applied through self-testing on a book summary. — Spaced Repetition applied: Self-Testing one of my book summaries (Source: Author)

#4 Interleaving

In interleaving, you switch practices before completion. So, interleaving means mixing learning with different kinds of approaches, concepts, or viewpoints. By practicing jumping back and forth between different problems, you solidify your understanding of the concepts and promote creativity and flexibility.

Why interleaving works: Alternate working on different problems feels more difficult as it, again, facilitates forgetting. While our intuition tells us completing one topic should be more effective, researchers pointed towards interleaving benefits. Plus, the authors of ‘Make It Stick’ conclude: “If learners spread out their study of a topic, returning to it periodically over time, they remember it better.”

How I apply interleaving: I read different books at the same time. Between my reading start and finish of Harari’s content-dense world history, I read four other books. Mixing my reading with Brown’s vulnerability classic and the memoir of a Holocaust Survivor brought insightful connections between various concepts, similar to what James Clear once meant when he said: “The most useful insights are often found at the intersection of ideas.”

How you can apply interleaving: Your brain can handle reading different books simultaneously, and it’s effective to do so. You can start a new book before you finish the one you’re reading. Starting again into a topic you partly forgot feels difficult first, but as you know by now, that’s the effect you want to achieve.

The books that the author is currently reading while applying interleaving. — Interleaving applied: The various books I’m currently reading (Source: Author)

#5 Self-Testing

While reading often falsely tricks us into perceived mastery, testing shows us whether we truly mastered the subject at hand. Self-testing helps you identify knowledge gaps and brings weak areas to the light. In their book, the scientists conclude: “It’s better to solve a problem than to memorize a solution.”

Why it works: Self-testing helps you overcome the illusion of knowledge. “One of the best habits a learner can instill in herself is regular self-quizzing to recalibrate her understanding of what she does and does not know.” Objective instruments, like testing, or self-testing, help you adjust your sense of what you know and don’t know.

How I apply self-testing: I explain the key lessons from non-fiction books I want to remember to others. Thereby, I test whether I really got the concept. Often, I didn’t. After reading a great book on personal finance, I recorded a podcast episode where I explained how Exchange Traded Funds work.

I reworked my preparation four times until I felt it included everything the listener needs. But instead of feeling frustrated, cognitive science made me realize that identifying knowledge gaps are a desirable and necessary effect for long-term remembering. I keep Mortimer Adler’s words in mind, who wrote: “The person who says he knows what he thinks but cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks.”

How you can apply self-testing: Teaching your lessons learned from a non-fiction book is a great way to test yourself. Before you explain a topic to somebody, you have to combine several mental tasks: filter relevant information, organize this information, and articulate it using your own vocabulary.

When you explain the content from what you’ve read to another person, you’ll identify potential knowledge gaps, can reread the passages you want to double-check, and strengthen your understanding.

Self-testing applied through teaching via a podcast. — Self-Testing applied: Teaching what I learned in a podcast episode (Source: Author)

Additional Tweaks for Kindle Readers

Most people are e-reading enemies until they truly read their first e-book. I remained an enemy fifteen books in. You can’t dog-ear your favorite pages, scribble your questions in the margins, or elaborate on a concept you just learned. You can’t apply much of what I’d described above.

And while these arguments hold, technology-assisted learning makes most of them irrelevant. Now that I discovered how to use my Kindle as a learning device, I wouldn’t trade it for a paper book anymore. Here are the four steps it takes to enrich your e-reading experience.

1) Highlight everything you want to remember

Based on your new insights into human memory, it won’t surprise you that researchers proved highlighting to be ineffective. It’s passive and doesn’t create memory cues.

And while I join the cannon against highlighting as an ineffective learning tool, we need it to create your learning experience. Use your fingers to highlight any piece of content you find worth remembering. You’ll next understand why.

2) Cut down your highlights in your browser

After you finished reading the book, you want to reduce your highlights to the essential part. Visit your Kindle Notes page to find a list of all your highlights. Using your desktop browser is faster and more convenient than editing your highlights on your e-reading device.

Now, browse through your highlights, delete what you no longer need, and add notes to the ones you really like. By adding notes to the highlights, you’ll connect the new information to your existing knowledge. You might recognize this tactic as an effective learning strategy you learned earlier: elaborative rehearsal (see #1 elaboration).

3) Use software to practice spaced repetition

This part is the main reason for e-books beating printed books. While you can do all of the above with a little extra time on your physical books, there’s no way to systemize your repetition praxis. As you know, spaced repetition (see #3) helps you prevent your brain from forgetting and will strengthen your memory.

Readwise is the best software to combine spaced repetition with your e-books. It’s an online service that connects to your Kindle account and imports all your Kindle highlights. Then, it creates flashcards of your highlights and allows you to export your highlights to your favorite note-taking app.

Common Learning Myths Debunked

While reading and studying evidence-based learning techniques I also came across some things I wrongly believed to be true.

#1 Our brain’s capacity is limited

This is simply untrue. As the researchers write in this paper: “We need to understand, too, that our capacity for storing to-be-learned information or procedures is essentially unlimited. In fact, storing information in human memory appears to create capacity — that is, opportunities for additional linkages and storage — rather than use it up.” You increase your brain’s capacity for learning.

#2 Effective learning should feel easy

We think learning works best when it feels productive. That’s why we continue to use ineffective techniques like rereading or highlighting. But learning works best when it feels hard, or as the authors of ‘Make It Stick’ write: “Learning that’s easy is like writing in sand, here today and gone tomorrow.”

While techniques like retrieval, spacing, and interleaving can feel hard and appear as if the learning rate would be very slow, the opposite is true. As the researchers write in this paper: “Because they often enhance long-term retention and transfer of to-be-learned information and procedures, they have been labeled desirable difficulties, but they nonetheless can create a sense of difficulty and slow progress for the learner.”

In Conclusion

While these techniques stem from evidence-based learning strategies, their application is my preference. I developed and adjusted these strategies over two years, and they’re still a work in progress.

Try all of them but don’t force yourself through anything that doesn’t feel right for you. I encourage you to do your own research, add further techniques, and skip what doesn’t serve you. Instead of feeling discouraged by all the ideas about how you can improve your learning experience, enjoy experimenting at your own pace. Keep the steps that work for you and screw the rest.

If you’re unsure where to begin, or you’re overwhelmed by all the application strategies, I suggest you start with book summaries first. Writing down what you want to remember makes you think about and rephrase what you just learned.

You can then use it for future spaced repetition (#3) or as a reference guide if you want to teach your insights to somebody (#4). And to write the summary, you will soon realize it’s helpful to elaborate (#1) while reading. Doing it with several books simultaneously (#2) can be a level up once you feel comfortable with the implemented routines.

No matter which strategies you use, applying evidence-based learning strategies will pay off. It’s not a quick win and takes time and patience, but you’ll ultimately reap the benefits.

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”

— Mortimer J. Adler

Four Great Resources That Will Teach You How to Learn

November 27, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

Crack the core of education and become a lifelong learner.

No life skill can earn you greater dividends than learning how to learn. Yet, most people don’t know how to master learning.

When asked, “Do you study the way you do because somebody taught you to study that way?” a study by Kornell & Bjork showed about 73% of students answered “no.”

Long after school, we continue to rely on ineffective learning strategies like passive consumption, highlighting, or rereading in the hope new knowledge will magically stick to our brain. Most people ignore that humans don’t absorb information and knowledge by reading sentences.

The mediocre majority will continue struggling through life this way, never experiencing the benefits of effective learning. They don’t care enough about the potential benefits to invest in their growth.

Most people ignore the proven ways to improve their learning process.

As a result, their lives stagnate. “Entertainment and distraction is the enemy of creation and learning. They will keep you in mediocrity,” Benjamin Hardy once wrote.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

A life full of meaningful learning and growth is available if you know where to start. In the last years, I read +15 books on learning, taught as a Teach for All fellow, and continue working in education. Here are the best resources for learning how to learn.

📘Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

A research group around neuroscientist Henry Roediger and psychologist Mark McDaniel spent ten years exploring learning strategies. Their goal was to bridge the gap between cognitive science and educational science. The result of their work is ‘Make it stick.’

The book in one sentence: Learning that’s easy is like writing in sand, here today and gone tomorrow; learning works better when it feels hard.

Why you should read it: Because of its applicability, this is my favorite book on evidence-based learning. You’ll realize the factors that shape your intellectual ability lie to a surprising extent within your own control. After reading, you’ll understand how to make the best learning techniques work for you.

Time Commitment: 336 pages; 7 hours to read it

Content Sneak Peek: This book explores and summarizes six evidence-based, application-ready strategies that help you learn better and store new knowledge in your long-term memory. The six strategies include retrieval practice (recall something you’ve learned in the past from your memory), spaced repetition (repeat the same piece of information across increasing intervals), interleaving (alternating before each practice is complete), elaboration (rephrasing new knowledge and connecting it with existing insights), reflection (synthesize, abstract, and articulate key lessons taught by experience), self-testing & calibration (answer a question or solve a problem before looking at the answer and identify knowledge gaps).

💻 Dr. Barabara Oakley — Learning How to Learn

Learning How to Learn is the most popular Coursera course of all time taught by academic experts Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski from the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Oakley’s research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal, and she won numerous teacher awards for it.

The course in one sentence: Taking responsibility for your learning is one of the most important undertakings you can manage.

Why you should watch it: By exploring effective learning and retention strategies, this course upgrades your learning toolbox. Plus, the course dismantles common learning traps and guides and how to overcome them. After watching it, you’ll feel ready for an effective, personalized learning journey.

Time Commitment: Self-paced 15 hours

Content Sneak Peek: The course explores the modes of thinking (diffuse mode and focused mode), how our memories work (long-term memory and working memory), a handful of learning strategies (recalling, interleaving, and deliberate practice), learning blockers (Einstellung, procrastination, illusions of knowledge, task-switching), brain hacks on a mental level (memory training, environment, Pomodoro technique, habit-forming, focus) and hacks on a physical level (sleeping, naps, workout).

📰 Farnam Street Blog: Accelerated Learning

Shane Parrish, the founder of Farnam Street, was a cybersecurity expert at Canada’s top intelligence agency and an occasional blogger. He promotes proven strategies of rigorous self-betterment as opposed to classic self-help fare. The best articles on the blog explore timeless ideas around learning.

The source in one sentence: You can train your brain to retain knowledge and insight better by understanding how you learn.

Why you should read it: The blog is excellently written and application-oriented. There’s constantly new content, and it serves as a great refresher to the other resources.

Time Commitment: Around 10 minutes per article.

Content Sneak Peek: The blog explores various topics, like deliberate practice, double-loop learning, learning from failure, the half-life of facts, spaced repetition, and the Feynman Technique.

📘Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

There’s been a lot of criticism around this book as the studies by Carol Dweck haven’t been replicated. Yet, I benefited so much from the mindset this book taught me that it belongs in this resource list. While reading it, just consider that it’s not peer-review science but rather mindset advice.

The source in one sentence: By distinguishing between a fixed and a growth mindset, Dweck shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor is influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities.

Why you should read it: This book is a must-read for every person looking for growth. After reading this book, you’ll be able to integrate a growth mindset into your life. For example, you’ll see mistakes as valuable learning opportunities. Studying this book can empower any educator to make positive changes in the classroom environment.

Time Commitment: 320 pages, 6.5 hours to read it

Content Sneak Peek: Mindsets shape whether we believe we can or can’t learn, change, and grow. People with a fixed mindset seek approval, while those with a growth mindset seek development. Role models from our childhood strongly influence our attitudes and ideas, yet we can change our mindset even in adulthood.

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset (Source: Author based on C. Dweck)

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Don’t Just Do — Reflection Can Help You Take Better Action

November 15, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

Here’s how.

Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash

The other week I went for a walk with a friend. He was part of a national athlete team and among the top LoL gamers, studied statistics used to make a living from day trading, and now works as a mental coach.

While we wandered along the Danube and talked about my current research interest in learning and reading, he said something interesting:

“There is nothing more powerful, more instructive than learning from your past experience.”

A truth we often forget. We confuse activity with progress and seek new, better, innovative ideas and solutions. Meanwhile, we repeat the same mistakes and thought patterns.

If we’re not visibly active, we believe we’re not learning.

When we don’t pause to think and to contemplate, we keep circling in a limited sphere at a higher velocity. We can read 50 books to 10x our productivity and still lose the most important life lessons. By acting without looking backward, we close our eyes to the bigger picture.

Reading this article, you’ll learn why reflection works and how you can make it work for you. Understanding the power of introspection is one of the rare concepts you can’t unlearn.

Science and Gates on the Benefits of Reflection

Reflection is the active decision to think about your past. Or, as researchers put it:

“Reflection is the intentional attempt to synthesize, abstract, and articulate the key lessons taught by experience.”

Even if our eyes can’t witness its effects, introspection is powerful. By ruminating, you’re distilling the key insights from your experience. Connect your past with the present moment is an effective learning technique. Neuroscientist Roediger and neurosurgeon McDaniel write:

“Reflection can involve several cognitive activities that lead to stronger learning: retrieving knowledge and earlier training from memory, connecting these new experiences and visualizing and mentally rehearsing what you might do differently next time.”

But what’s so good about this strong learning effect? Scientists from Harvard Business School explored this question and state:

“Reflection is a powerful mechanism by which experience is translated into learning. In particular, we find that individuals perform significantly better on subsequent tasks when they think about what they learned from the task they completed.”

Apart from the scientific consensus, well-known people rely on the power of reflection.

Billionaire entrepreneur Sara Blakely shared in an interview how she filled more than 20 notebooks with her life’s obstacles and her lessons learned.

Before learning from Warren Buffett, Bill Gates said he “had every minute packed and thought that was the only way you could do things.” Bill concludes Warren taught him the importance of giving himself time to think and reflect.

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

— Carl Jung

How You Can Make Reflection Work for You

Reflection isn’t complex. It can be an easy addition to your toolbox, close at hand whenever you need it. Here are three strategies to start your own reflective practice.

#1 Level Up Your Journaling Practice

You can call it a bullet journal, reflective journal, or learning journal. As long as you spend time pondering on your past, the effect is the same. The key is not to capture events or facts but rather the process and how you felt about it.

Here are prompts to use on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis:

What went well? Why?
What went wrong? Why?
What new did you learn? How can you use this insight?
Which activities or tasks did you skip? Why? What can you learn from your behavior for your next steps?
On which topic did you change your opinion? How does this shift affect your next decisions?
Who are the most important people in your life? Why?

Plus, you can level up your journaling practice with evidence-based tricks. Write sitting in different positions, write for yourself, use the language you feel comfortable with, use diagrams and drawings, or record your own voice.

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

— Steve Jobs

#2 Meet Up With Friends for Joint Reflection

This one isn’t a substitute but a great addition to your journaling practice. Meeting with a group of peers for joint reflection can be powerful.

Heron, a social science pioneer, explains the method in his book:

You have got the choice of which topics you bring up. It can be a job-related reflection circle, discussing relational topics, or generally share personal journal excerpts or your thoughts behind it.

If you want more guidance, you can use these free reflection cards to get additional inspiration. Structure your meeting in facts, feelings, insights, and actions.

#3 Distill Key Lessons in Your Annual Review

The dark months around New Year are a great reminder to pause, reflect, and rethink the past 12 months. A yearly review is powerful. It can uncover valuable self-knowledge.

Here are ten powerful questions for a reflective practice at the end of a year:

Which things have you discovered this year? Which do you want to keep?
What experiences, people, and accomplishments are you most grateful for? Why?
Which residual feelings do remain if you think about the past year? Are you ready to let them go?
What was the biggest struggle in the past months? How did you tackle it, and what did you learn on the way?
How have you grown and developed in the past year? In what area(s) of your life did you make progress?
What have you discovered about yourself?
What moment did you feel the most alive this year?
When did you feel your heart most open this year?
What inspired you the most in the past months? How did this impact your life?
Based on your experience from last year, which advice would you give yourself for the next year?

“Extraordinary individuals stand out in the extent to which they reflect — often explicitly — on the events of their lives, large as well as small…by seizing the opportunity to leverage and frame these experiences, we gain agency over them. And this heightened agency, in turn, places us in a stronger position to deal with future experiences, even as it may alter our own sense of strengths and possibilities.”

— Howard Gardner

Final Words

We don’t have to be visibly active to learn. Progress starts with self-awareness. If we aren’t aware of a problem, we can’t improve.

With practices like reflective journaling, reflection circles, and yearly reviews, we can better understand our thoughts and emotions while exploring how they affect our behavior. We find pieces of our self-puzzle and can hold on to them for good. Step by step, we discover what life paths we want to take, leave, or create.

Let’s stop to rush through life and, instead, take time for reflection. In the words of American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer John Dewey:

“We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.”

5 Things Prolific Readers Don’t Do

October 22, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

Give up these bad habits to get the most out of your books.

While most people agree that reading leads to happiness and wisdom, only a few become prolific readers.

The majority feels discouraged when they learn Warren Buffett reads 500 pages a day, or Bill Gates retreats to entire reading weeks. They think they can’t make enough time to read.

Yet, these people commit a common thinking error. They confuse reading time with reading quality. Becoming a productive reader has little to do with the total hours you spend reading.

Over the last years, I became a book fanatic, and since 2017, I’ve read 173 books. And until this summer, I did so while working a full-time job and running a startup at +65 hours a week.

If there’s one thing I learned, it’s that prolific readers don’t focus on doing more of something, but rather avoiding common pitfalls. Here’s the complete list:

They Don’t Force Themselves Through Mediocre Books

We only have a limited number of books we can read before we die. While our life is ticking away, new books are published at light speed.

How many books will you read before you die?

This article uses a life expectancy calculator and data on US reading habits to calculate the numbers. A 25-year old voracious reader who finishes 50 books per year has only around 2950 books left to read in their remaining life.

The number alone might seem like a lot. But if you put it in perspective, you’ll realize it’s almost nothing. Because 2950 out of 129,864,880 books are around 0.000023.

And that’s why prolific readers don’t force themselves through mediocre books. They know not all books are created equal, and most of the books aren’t worth their time.

Patrick Collison, the self-made billionaire founder of Stripe, explains in a podcast interview:

At every moment, you should be reading the best book you know of in the world [for you]. But as soon as you discover something that seems more interesting or more important, you should absolutely discard your current book … because any other algorithm necessarily results in your reading ‘worse’ stuff over time.

Time is a limited resource, and if you waste your time with a mediocre book, you won’t have enough left for the great ones.

How to do it:

Stop reading mediocre books. Get comfortable with putting an unfinished book aside when you find a better one. Look out for and read the great books, the ones that hold the power to change your entire life.

Prolific Readers Don’t Forget What They Read

Ever wondered why the smartest people you know seem to remember everything they read? It’s because people who know a lot are also likely to remember more.

Scientists agree that we learn by relating new information to what we already know. And minds filled with previous knowledge have an easier time remembering new content.

Elon Musk once answered in an ‘ask-me-anything’ Reddit thread:

“Knowledge [is]… a semantic tree — make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to”

So the question is, how do you start building your knowledge trunk?

The learning theory answer is called elaborative rehearsal. You make an association between the new information in the book and the information you already know. The more you elaborate, or try to understand something, the more likely you‘ll keep this new information in your long-term memory.

How to do it:

The best way to do so is to connect the new knowledge to what you already know, and in the best case, apply it in real life. Take notes while reading. Instead of keeping your books look new, use them to the fullest. The more you write in the margins, the more you’ll remember.

Great Readers Don’t Focus On One Book at A Time

In March 2018, I didn’t finish a single book. It’s not that I stopped reading. Instead, I only managed to read five pages of Harari’s Sapiens before falling asleep every night.

That’s why prolific readers don’t read just one book at a time. You don’t want to eat the same dish for breakfast, lunch, and breakfast. Why would you read the same book at different times of the day?

Our brains can handle reading different books. In fact, spaced repetition, meaning revisiting some concepts with some days in between, is one of the most effective learning methods.

So, reading several books simultaneously can improve the way you remember what you read. Plus, you’ll likely find useful intersections between various concepts. It was James Clear who said:

“The most useful insights are often found at the intersection of ideas.”

How to do it:

Read a few books at the same time. Start a new book before you finish the one you’re reading. Pick a content-dense book, like Sapiens, for learning mode and a lighter fiction book for a nighttime session.

They Don’t Get Distracted By Technology

Our world is distracting, and we’re tempted to shift focus at light speed. When phones are within a hand reach, it’s easy to switch tasks without even realizing it.

Some 2000 years ago, Stoic philosopher Seneca summarized how bad even the most intelligent people are when it comes to protecting their time:

“No person hands out their money to passersby, but to how many do each of us hand out our lives! We’re tightfisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.”

The average person spends over four hours a day on their device. If you spent half the time reading, with a reading speed of 250 words per minute and an average book length of 90,000 words, you’d finish more than two books a week. The equation is simple:

The less time you spend on your device, the more you’ll read.

In truth, we knew long before the documentary The Social Dilemma about social media’s harming effects. Yet, we fail to act upon our knowledge.

I struggled to change my phone habits for an entire year. But the journey was worth it. Once I abandoned my phone from my sleeping room and left it shut until 10 AM, I didn’t need to skip any activities to read 52 books a year.

How to do it:

You don’t need to try the digital detox apps like Forest, and Freedom. Instead, read Deep Work and Digital Minimalism and conclude that your best option is to switch off your phone whenever you want to focus completely.

Smart Readers Don’t Aim For A Number of Books

Most people confuse reading with progressing. They think reading a specific number will make them happier, healthier, and wealthier.

But no idea could be further from the truth. Reading is no fast-lane to wealth and wisdom. Instead, reading can even limit your achievements.

I know because I made this mistake.

Before building my first business, I had read dozens of books for each stage in the business lifecycle. But when it came to really starting, the biggest gamechanger was just doing it.

At some point, reading distracts you from acting. You’ll achieve more if you bump along without any books than you ever will reading and not doing anything.

So, prolific readers don’t have the goal to read a specific number of books for the sake of reading.

There’s a subtle difference between book hoarders, focusing on the total number of books they read, and prolific readers. Whereas book hoarders judge themselves by the number of books they own, smart readers judge themselves by what they got out of them and applied in real life.

Mortimer J. Adler put it best when he wrote:

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”

How to do it:

Don’t confuse reading with acting. When you finish the book, ask yourself what to do with what you’ve just read. Apply the knowledge and put what you’ve learned into action items.

All You Need to Know

Letting go of these things isn’t difficult or exhausting.

On the contrary: Avoiding these common mistakes makes reading fun and worthwhile.

Don’t force yourself through mediocre books.
Take notes to remember what you read.
Read several books simultaneously.
Leave your phone shut whenever you want to read.
Apply what you read to your life.

Instead of feeling discouraged by all the ideas about becoming a prolific reader, enjoy experimenting at your own pace. Keep the habits that work for you and screw the rest.

Choose one or two new reading habits until you find a pattern that helps you on your journey to health, wealth, and wisdom.

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The Feynman Technique Can Help You Remember Everything You Read

October 21, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

How to use this simple principle for you.

Books give you access to the smartest brains on our planet. And learning from the greatest thinkers and doers is your fast track to health, wealth, and wisdom.

Yet, reading per se doesn’t elevate your life. You can read 52 books a year without changing at all.

Social climber Dale Carnegie used to say knowledge isn’t power until it’s applied. And to apply what you read, you must first remember what you learned.

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918–1988) was an expert for remembering what he learned. Bill Gates was so inspired by his pedagogy that he named Feynman, “the greatest teacher I never had.”

Why Most People Forget What They Read

Most people confuse consumption with learning. They think reading, watching, or hearing information will make the information stick with them.

Unless you’ve got a photographic memory, no idea could be further from the truth.

To protect ourselves from overstimulation, our brains filter and forget most of what we consume. If we remembered everything we absorb, we wouldn’t be able to operate in our world.

But most people act like their brains would keep everything. They focus on reading a specific number of books a year. By focusing on quantity, instead of learning, they forget anything they read. Ultimately, for them, reading is mere entertainment.

It was Schopenhauer who already stated in the 1850s, “When we read, another person thinks for us: we merely repeat his mental process.” So to learn, we need to think by ourselves.

A person who reads without pausing to think and reflect won’t remember nor apply anything they read.

You can spot these people easily. For example, they say they’ve read a book, but lack the words to explain their takeaways. Likely, they haven’t learned a thing from reading it.

Mortimer Adler put it best when he wrote: “The person who says he knows what he thinks but cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks.”

Luckily, there’s a way out of it. We can indeed learn from what we read. And we’ve known so for a long time.

How You Can Remember What You Read

Teaching is the most effective way to embed information in your mind. Plus, it’s an easy way to check whether you’ve remembered what you read. Because before you teach, you have to take several steps: filter relevant information, organize this information, and articulate them using your own vocabulary.

Feynman mastered this process like no other. The people of his time knew him for being able to explain the most complex processes in the simplest language. They nicknamed Feynman “The Great Explainer.”

If you’re after a way to supercharge your learning and become smarter, The Feynman Technique might just be the best way to learn absolutely anything. You can think of it as an algorithm for guaranteed learning.

The Feynman Technique is one method to make us remember what we read by using elaboration and association concepts. It’s a tool for remembering what you read by explaining it in plain, simple language.

Not only is the Feynman Technique a wonderful recipe for learning, but it’s also a window into a different way of thinking that allows you to tear ideas apart and reconstruct them from the ground up.

What I love about this concept is that the approach intuitively believes that intelligence is a process of growth, which dovetails nicely with the work of Carol Dweck, who beautifully describes the difference between a fixed and growth mindset. Here’s how it works.

The 4 Steps You Need To Take

In essence, the Feynman technique consists of four steps: identify the subject, explain the content, identify your knowledge gaps, simplify your explanation. Here’s how it works for any book you read:

#1 Choose the book you want to remember

After you’ve finished a book worth remembering, take out a blank sheet. Title it with the book’s name.

Then, mentally recall all principles and main points you want to keep in mind. Here, many people make the mistake to simply copy the table of content or their highlights. By not recalling the information, they skip the learning part.

What you want to do instead, is to retrieve the concepts and ideas from your own memory. Yes, this requires your brainpower. But by thinking about the concepts, you’re creating an effective learning experience.

While writing your key points, try to use the simplest language you can. Often, we use complicated jargon to mask our unknowingness. Big words and fluffy “expert words” stop us from getting to the point.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

— Albert Einstein

#2 Pretend you are explaining the content to a 12-year old

This sounds simpler than it is. In fact, explaining a concept as plain as possible requires deep understanding.

Because when you explain an idea from start to finish to a 12-year old, you force yourself to simplify relationships and connections between concepts.

If you don’t have a 12-year old around, find an interested friend, record a voice message for a mastermind group, or write down your explanation as a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or Quora.

#3 Identify your knowledge gaps and reread

Explaining a book’s key points helps you find out what you didn’t understand. There will be passages you’re crystal clear about. At other points, you will struggle. These are the valuable hints to dig deeper.

Only when you find knowledge gaps — where you omit an important aspect, search for words, or have trouble linking ideas to each other — can you really start learning.

When you know where you’re stuck go back to your book and re-read the passage until you can explain it in your own simple language.

Filling your knowledge gaps is the extra step required to really remember what you read and skipping it leads to an illusion of knowledge.

#4 Simplify Your Explanation (optional)

Depending on a book’s complexity, you might be able to explain and remember the ideas after the previous. If you feel unsure, however, you can add an additional simplification layer.

Read your notes out loud and organize them into the simplest narrative possible. Once the explanation sounds simple, it’s a great indicator that you’ve done the proper work.

It’s only when you can explain in plain language what you read that you’ll know you truly understood the content.

The Takeaway

We all know from our own experiences that knowledge is useless unless applied. But by forgetting what we read, there’s no way to apply it to our lives.

Montaigne pointed to this fact in one of his Essays where he wrote:

We take other men’s knowledge and opinions upon trust; which is an idle and superficial learning. We must make them our own. We are just like a man who, needing fire, went to a neighbor’s house to fetch it, and finding a very good one there, sat down to warm himself without remembering to carry any back home. What good does it do us to have our belly full of meat if it is not digested, if it is not transformed into us, if it does not nourish and support us?

The Feynman Technique is an excellent way to make the wisdom from books your own. It’s a way to tear ideas apart and rebuild them from the ground up.

Here are the four steps you want to remember:

choose a book, get a blank page and title it
teach it to a 12-year old in plain, simple language
identify knowledge gaps and reread what you forgot
review and simplify your explanation (optional)

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To Become a Super Learner, Avoid These Common Mistakes

October 20, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

Key insights from research on human learning and memory.

Scientists started to investigate learning theories in 1926. Yet, almost a century later, many of us fail to apply proven learning strategies.

This meta-study on learning, memory, and metacognitive processes has shown most learners hold outdated beliefs and commit errors that can even impair, rather than enhance, their learning effectiveness.

To be honest, I was prone to all of these errors during my Bachelor and Master studies. It wasn’t until I became a Teach for All teachers that I dug deep into learning research.

So, here are the four most common mistakes that prevent us from becoming super learners.

1) Using Mass Study Instead of Spaced Repetition

Many people continue to cramp too much content into a single learning session. They confuse consumption with learning and think the more they consume; the more will stick with them.

Unless you have a photographic memory, this belief is terribly wrong.

Our brains don’t work like a computer’s hard drive where you insert a memory stick and simply remember everything on it.

Instead, our brains work as a dynamic neuronal network. We learn by making new connections within this network. Scientists agree that we learn by relating new information to what we already know.

Through smaller learning units and regular breaks, we can better support the formation of these links. Researchers have shown that learning in portions is way more effective than cramping whatever you can into a single sitting.

If you want to learn a new language and study 50 new words on Monday, you’ll likely forget all new words by Thursday. To remember what you learn, you better split the amount into separate days, research says.

How to apply it:

Break major learning sessions down to several single ones. Use technology assistance for spaced repetition, like Anki for flashcards or Lingvist for languages.

2) Memorizing Facts Without Context

By memorizing facts without any context, you’re wasting your time. Whenever you study grammatic rules, name reaction in chemistry, or browse through year dates in history, you’re not learning smart.

To remember what we learn, we must link the input to our existing knowledge.

As established, our brains are a network of neurons. You can look at it like highways with intersections. And every time an intersection with a new highway is formed, you will remember more of what you learn.

The need for connecting knowledge is the reason why knowledgeable people learn faster. If you already have a large inventory in your mind, it’s easier to find a fitting dock for what you learn.

Instead of learning a word from its translation, it’s way better to form different sentences with it and think of everyday situations when you can use it.

Here’s an among learning scientists well-known example by professor Robert Bjork:

“One chance to actually put on, fasten, and inflate an inflatable life vest would be of more value — in terms of the likelihood that one could actually perform that procedure correctly in an emergency — than the multitude of times any frequent flier has sat on an airplane and been shown the process by a flight attendant.”

How to apply it:

Connect anything you learn to what you already know. The best question to do so is asking why something works that way. Then, try to use it in a real-life context and apply the knowledge to your life.

3) Sticking to the Same Learning Method

You’ve likely heard about the people who claim to be a visual or auditive learner. Yet, the hypothesis that specific learning methods are better for some people than they are for others is an outdated belief.

At most, learning types are a self-fulfilling prophecy. This means if you believe you can learn something in a specific way, your belief in the effectiveness of this method will promote your learning efficiency.

Instead, you want to do anything that helps you relate new knowledge to existing memory — no matter if that’s via listening to a podcast, writing a reflective essay, or teaching it to a toddler.

The wider your mix of methods, the greater your learning success.

Here’s what scientists say about our brain’s infinite capacity to learn through different learning techniques:

“In fact, storing information in human memory appears to create capacity — that is, opportunities for additional linkages and storage — rather than use it up. It is also important to understand that information, once stored by virtue of having been interrelated with existing knowledge in long-term memory, tends to remain stored, if not necessarily accessible. Such knowledge is readily made accessible again and becomes a resource for new learning.”

How to apply it:

Super learners focus on diversifying their learning techniques. You can do the same by experimenting with any of the following: practical exercises, rereading, note-taking, summarizing, questioning, teaching, self-testing.

4) Avoiding Test Situations

When we’re learning something we’ve not mastered yet, we tend to avoid every opportunity to test our new skills in real life. We fear we might embarrass ourselves by making mistakes.

Here’s a personal story:

I had been learning French for three years when my parents took me to France for a camping trip. On the way, we stopped at a McDonald’s to get lunch. My parents encouraged me to make the order, yet I refused. I was afraid my French would sound hilarious.

My fear of failure stopped me from improving my skills.

The act of recalling information provides a much greater boost to later retention than studying it for a second time. So, independent reproduction — like being asked to make a restaurant order in a foreign language — is essential to keep your knowledge in mind.

Plus, Richland et al. found that long-term learning benefited when participants were asked questions that they could not answer before studying text materials.

So, making errors appears to create learning opportunities. In the words of the scientists:

“Becoming maximally effective as a learner requires interpreting errors and mistakes as an essential component of effective learning rather than as a reflection of one’s inadequacies as a learner.”

How to apply it:

Seek situations where you can test your new knowledge. Don’t judge yourself for not getting everything right. Instead, focus on the learning benefit you get from making mistakes.

Conclusion

Learning is a journey, not a destination. And to learn more effectively, here’s what you might want to keep in mind:

Use space repetition instead of mass learning.
Embed new facts into context.
Experiment with diverse learning methods.
Seek test situations and embrace mistakes.

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4 Growth Mindset Quotes That Will Change the Way You Learn

August 22, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

Pearls of wisdom from Carol Dweck.

Carol Dweck is America’s most influential researcher on motivation and mindset. She coined the term growth mindset — something all lifelong learners have in common.

She is a Psychology professor at Standford and also taught at Columbia and Harvard. Yet, you don’t need a Ph.D. to understand her work. She uses relatable language and basic logic to change the way we learn.

Dweck’s book shattered my wrong learning beliefs and changed my life for the better. People aren’t born smart. They become smart as a result of learning.

These quotes transform your life for the better by inviting more challenges and growth. Here are four curated mindset quotes that will open your heart and mind to the concept of a growth mindset and, in doing so, change the way you learn.

“When you make your best effort, you may be outscored, but you will never lose.”

Formal education teaches us to focus on the outcome. That’s why most of us judge our performance based on results: a grade, a score, a certificate.

Yet, what is far more important than achieving any result, is whether you made your best effort during the process.

Often, the outcome is influenced by factors you can’t control. You can’t control the end.

Instead, what you can always control is whether you did your best. As long as you focus on the effort, you’ll live your best self. And by giving your best, you’ll never lose — despite the outcome.

Derive your happiness and value from your effort. Focus on the process instead of the result.

How to do it:

Instead of asking whether you won, ask yourself whether you did your best. Have no fear of losing. If you lose but give your best effort, you’ll have nothing to regret.

Let go of controlling the outcome. Instead, focus on what you can control: your intention, your attitude, and your actions.

By doing the work, day in and day out, you’ll become better. And by focusing on one step at a time, you’ll win in life.

“Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better?”

Let’s imagine you could choose to play tennis against two different players. If you pick the first player, you’ll win 3:0. If you select the second, you’ll lose 1:3.

Would you choose the game you win or the one where you learn?

Sure bets won’t make you better. Risk-free wins won’t add to your learning curve.

Babies never decide it’s too hard or not worth the effort. They don’t worry about making mistakes. They walk, they fall, they get up, and they learn.

Instead of seeking validation, seek challenges that make you fall. If you pick winning, you’ll inflate your ego. If you choose learning, you’ll learn for life. Only the later will steer you towards the path for success.

How to do it:

Ignore games and tasks. You can win quickly and perfectly. You won’t form new connections in your brain.

You don’t need to prove yourself that you’re perfect at something. Instead, get your shit together and try something new.

Seek learning opportunities. Look for challenges that make you grow. And while you’ll be struggling, remember the best learning happens outside of your comfort zone.

“When you already know you’re deficient, you have nothing to lose by trying.”

I wish I could read this quote to my younger self. As a teenager, I loved our piano. Yet, I never played it. I feared to destroy my illusion of being a perfect player.

Perfectionism hinders learning. The fear of making mistakes prevents you from trying.

When you know you’re not perfect, you’re humble enough to go ahead and try. You don’t fear to destroy your ideal self. Instead, you’re open to making mistakes and learning.

The geniuses, the world-class performers, became world-class because they weren’t afraid to fail. Instead of thinking they already knew it all, they were aware of their deficiency.

How to do it:

Know that you’ll never be perfect. When you know, there’s still so much to learn you don’t fear to try.

Once you accept that you’re deficient, you’ll get out of your way. You’ll start practicing and getting better.

“Real self-confidence is not reflected in a title, an expensive suit, a fancy car, or a series of acquisitions. It is reflected in your mindset: your readiness to grow.”

True intelligence means changing your opinion based on new insights. It’s staying open to new learning.

This is easier said than done. We grow up with a set of beliefs and values and surround ourselves with people who share our opinion.

The deeper we are on our island of knowledge, the more difficult it is to change your opinion when you’re faced with new ideas.

Yet, by having the courage to be open, we invite learning opportunities. Ultimately, this open-mindedness will accelerate our learning.

How to do it:

Beware of the four horsemen of a fixed mindset. Every time you find yourself in some of these thought patterns remind yourself to be open:

– I know it all.
– You’re wrong, I rule.
– Oh, I’ve heard of this concept before.
– Nothing new for me.

The effort to think openly and embrace new ideas will be worth it when you’re able to take part in the benefits that come from opening your mind.

Final Thoughts

Most of the time, we make learning harder than it needs to be. Small shifts in our mindset can lead to happiness and fulfillment.

And while each of these mindset shifts can change the way you learn, you certainly don’t need to integrate all of them.

At the end of the day, your lifelong learning journey is defined by you.

Use these ideas as a source of inspiration and brainstorm what might help you to live a happier, healthier, and more fulfilled life.

And always keep Dweck’s words in mind who said

“When Do You Feel Smart: When You’re Flawless or When You’re Learning?”

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How to Apply What You Read to Your Life

August 22, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

The best knowledge is useless unless applied.

In 2017, I read my first life-changing book. Since then, reading has become my favorite habit.

Yet, when I stumbled upon this quote by Ratna Kusnur some time ago, I started to question the power of books:

“Knowledge trapped in books neatly stacked is meaningless and powerless until applied for betterment of life.”

Admittedly, Ratna caught me right on the spot. Before building my first business, I had read dozens of books for each stage in the business lifecycle. But when it came to starting, the most significant impact was doing it.

Yes, reading can be the fast-track to a happier, healthier, wiser life. But unless you apply the lessons from the greatest thinkers to our lives, reading is mere entertainment.

Here’s a self-tested way to apply what you read to your life and thereby, lead a better life:

This advice doesn't apply to fictional books. It applies to reading non-fiction books for knowledge and practicality.

Choose the Right Book for Your Life Situation

“Knowledge isn’t power until it’s applied.”

— Dale Carnegie

You can’t apply irrelevant knowledge. By reading a book that has no connex to your current circumstances, there’s no way you can integrate new knowledge in your days.

I fell into this trap many times. I’d buy the books my mentors recommended reading. Back in 2016, I spent hours working my way through Ray Dalio’s Principles to realize that this book had no connection to my student life.

When you try hard to find applicable lessons, but you can’t find any useful advice, it’s not your fault. Instead, it’s either the wrong book or the wrong time for the book.

Bill Gates finishes every book he starts. Not because he forces himself through a bad book. Instead, he chooses with intent.

The clearer you know why you’re reading the book at hand, the more natural you find ways to integrate the learnings into your life.

How to do it:

Before starting any book, ask yourself:

Which big questions do you face in life, right now?

Which skills do you want to build?

If a book doesn’t promise to deliver on your topics, skip it. You won’t be able to use the lessons. Do your research before reading a book. Choose wisely, then, read thoroughly.

By picking the right content with the right timing, you’ll enjoy the words in front of you.

Create Action Items

“It’s not knowing what to do, it’s doing what you know.”

— Tony Robbins

Most persons on this planet read a book, have some “aha” moments and then, after finishing the book, forget everything they just learned.

Unless you think and act while reading, you’ll never integrate book lessons to your life. You will never revisit a specific concept later.

Yes, it does feel comforting to postpone action for later. But let’s be honest: By procrastinating your actions, you’re wasting your time.

Unfortunately, I write from experience. I’d say to myself: “Oh, what a great insight. I should do this. I’ll do it once I’m done with the book”. And then, the application part never happened.

Ouch.

Re-reading the same concepts again and again won’t improve your life. It’s the application of these concepts that will change your life forever.

If you don’t apply the knowledge you read at the same moment you read it, it will get lost. Unless you follow the advice from books and do something, even the smartest information is a waste of your time.

Once you started reading the right book, beware of procrastination. Instead, apply a book’s wisdom while you read. Stop at the page and integrate useful lessons into your life.

In High-Performance Habits, for example, we learn about the power of morning affirmations. I stopped during the chapter and recorded my own affirmations.

In Stillness is Key, Ryan Holiday explores the benefits of journaling. When he convinced me, I placed an empty notebook with a pen on my nightstand and started journaling the same evening.

How to do it:

If you stumble upon useful advice, create an environment that invites you to do what you’ve just learned.

Put an item on your to-do list or place an action item on a specific spot. If you read the 5 Languages of Love, try one out the same day. If you read Cal Newport’s Deep Work, start changing your work schedule tomorrow morning.

By forming action items from your books, you’ll make the most out of any book. You’ll be able to apply knowledge from books to your life.

Reread Life-Changing Books

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”

— Mortimer J. Adler

Many people treat the number of books you read as the level of your wisdom. This logic is flawed. It’s not the number of different pages you can get through that will make you happier, wiser, and healthier.

When you focus on the number of finished books, you tend to rush through the content. With a goal of completion in mind, it’s easy to overlook meaningful passages.

By rereading a book, you can check which parts you applied and which sections you’ve forgotten. You can then focus your effort on the parts that need more application.

Ryan Holiday is an impressive example of the power of rereading. He read the same book 100 times over 10 years. Undoubtedly, this habit led to Ryan’s unparalleled understanding and three bestselling books.

How to do it:

Focus on the process of reading, not on the total number of books you’ve read. Revisit the books that have influenced you the most.

Books change as we do. You’ll be amazed at how many new things you can discover that you may have missed before.

Final Thoughts

Reading is the fastest way to expand your world view and improve your life.

Yet, don’t set your goal of reading a specific number of books per year. Instead, make sure you choose the right book for your life situation, create action items, and revisit life-changing books.

Mere reading expands your knowledge, but the application will change your life. Reading a few great books a year, with time for implementation, will make you happier, healthier, and wiser.

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How to Choose Your Next Great Book

August 13, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

Stop wasting your time with mediocrity.

Bill Gates finishes every book he reads. No, that doesn’t mean he forces himself through a bad book. Instead, he only starts reading the great ones.

How you might ask, can you know whether a book exceeds your expectation before you even start to read?

Unfortunately, there’s no bulletproof formula. Yet, there are a few simple steps that, if applied, will increase the chances of you reading only the greatest books.

My reading time changed once I followed these strategies. I no longer needed to be 100 pages in to realize I wasted my time. I no longer struggled to put a lousy book aside. I finally loved most of the >50 books I read in a year.

Not all books are created equal, and most of the books aren’t worth your time. Yet, some books have the power to change your life and make you healthier, wealthier, and wiser.

By avoiding mediocre books and choosing the greatest books, you’ll find yourself learning from the greatest thinkers that ever existed.

Here is exactly how you choose the right book for you in chronological order.

1) Search beyond bestseller lists

Yes, there’s Goodreads, and Gatesnotes, and so many other great lists indicating if you only read a few books in 2020, you should read these.

And while these lists have their raison d’être, they are only a snapshot of our time. Most of these lists contain the books from authors with the best marketing strategy, or the widest social media reach.

When you look for a great book, you should go beyond mediocre listicles. Search, for example, search through the appendix of Mortimer J. Adler’s classic How to Read a book.

If you look at human history, the chances are small that the greatest books were created in the past decade. The fundamental human problems seem to be the same in all ages: Justice, love, virtue, stability, and change itself.

Another excellent source for book recommendations are people you look up to, not necessarily living in our time. I love browsing through Ryan Holiday’s reading list.

“We may succeed in accelerating the motions of life, but we cannot seem to change the routes that are available to its ends.”

— Mortimer J. Adler

Questions to tick:

Have you looked for inspiration beyond the standard recommendations?

Do you trust or admire the recommendation source?

Which 5 books trigger your interest?

2) Do a two-minute author background check

As said, not all books are created equal. There are so many of them written by people who have never done what they’re writing. Mortimer J. Adler once said:

“The great books are the most instructive, the most enlightening.”

An author’s first-hand experience always trumps if-then scenarios.

Nobody can give you instructive, enlightening examples of things he or she has never experienced before.

Instead of judging a book by its cover, judge a book by the author’s background check.

Questions to tick:

Has the author life experience that undermine the book’s topic?

Is the author living by what s/he is writing?

Do other thoughtleaders support what s/he’s saying?

3) Check the table of content

Most people have never heard about this powerful strategy. To be honest, I didn’t know about it either. Since I know, I browsed through the table of content every time before I buy a new book.

A book’s title triggers your interest, captivates your attention. The table of content is more profound. It gives you a sneak-peak on what’s to come.

Once you’ve narrowed down your search to five or fewer potentially great books, inspect the table of content.

Not looking through the table of content is like buying a jacket without looking at the inside’s material. You won’t know what you get without taking a closer look.

Reviewing the table of content is the fastest, easiest way to judge whether a book delivers on its title. Knowing what a book is about before starting to read it will increase the likelihood of greatness.

Questions to tick:

Did you read through the table of contents?

Does the content (not the title) spark your curiosity?

Are you interested in learning what’s behind the majority of the chapters?

4) Read a 5-star and 1-star review

Some years ago, I’d read every book that had more than a 4-star rating on Goodreads. I even forced myself through a lousy book only because I thought I didn’t get the message.

For example, a super-smart friend recommended me The Truth. Goodreads suggested a solid 4.17 rating from more than 5k people. I finished the book even though it didn’t resonate with me at all. I felt I was listening to an emotionally immature adult.

There will always be books that you don’t like, but most people love.

By reading through the reviews, you can find out which type of people like a specific book. Sometimes, a strong opinion in a 1-star review makes me want to read a book while the arguments in a 5-star review make me abandon the book.

Questions to tick:

Do you sympathise with the characters writing 5* reviews?

Do you find yourself contradicting the opinions of 1* reviewers?

Can you find credible arguments to read this book?

5) Trust your gut

If you only force yourself through books, you don’t like you’ll end up thinking you don’t like reading altogether.

Ultimately, you’ll stop reading. And, by not reading a book, you don’t have an advantage over an illiterate person.

“The great books are the most readable.”

— Mortimer J. Adler

Pick the books you like.

Even if the above criteria match but you don’t like the book, don’t read it.

Mark Twain once said the great books were those everybody recommends and nobody reads, or those everyone says he intends to read and never does. I’d say he’s wrong.

The great books are the ones you genuinely enjoy reading. The ones that are the most readable for you.

“The great books are not faded glories. They are not dusty remains for scholars to investigate. They are not a record of dead civilizations. They are rather the most potent civilizing forces in the world today.”

— Mortimer J. Adler

Questions to tick:

Do you like the tone of voice?

Do you like the language and the content density?

Do you like the narrative?

Bottom Line

New books are written and published every minute. Yet, our lifetime decreases with every minute. We only have a limited number left of books we can read in our lives.

To stop reading mediocre books:

Search for recommendations beyond bestseller lists
Research the author’s background
Read through the table of content.
Skim through 5-star and 1-star reviews
Trust your gut

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7 Things I Learned Reading 52 Books a Year For Two Years

June 19, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

#1: Read the books that make you want to read more.

I started to get serious about reading in early 2018. I committed to wake up every day at 5:30 AM and read until 7 AM. Sometimes I’d read after work, and by replacing my smartphone with an alarm clock, I’d always make time to read before going to bed.

One of my main motivations for reading more was a quote by Charlie Munger, self-made billionaire and Warren Buffett’s longtime business partner, who said:

“In my whole life, I have known no wise people who didn’t read all the time — none. Zero.”

Since March 2018, I’ve read 174 books. Here are some of the lessons I learned:

#1. Read the Books that Make You Want to Read More

Reading shouldn’t feel hard. If you don’t like the book you hold in your hands, skip it. Better to waste 11.95$ than 4 hours of your lifetime.

Books aren’t created equal — millions aren’t worth your time.

Only because your mentor liked a book, it doesn’t mean you must enjoy it. Maybe you don’t like the topic from a book on the bestseller list. Maybe you find a book too fluffy. Or maybe, the book is a classic, but you dislike the writing style.

I abandoned George Orwell’s 1984 a few pages in, and most people will blame me for not finishing this classic. But to be honest, I just couldn’t stand the negative utopia.

Lifetime is too precious to endure books you don’t like. Read the genres you cherish, the content you enjoy, from the authors you admire.

How to apply this advice

Every time you start a book, ask yourself a few questions. Do you like the tone of voice? Do you understand the content, or do you get sleepy every time you hole the book in your hands? How do you feel when you close the book: Do you want to continue reading, or are you happy you put the book aside? And overall, do you get what the author is trying to say?

Never force yourself through a book you don’t enjoy reading.

The best person to judge whether you should read a book is neither Goodreads nor your smart friend — it’s you.

#2. Communicate With Your Books

It was during my work in India when I first saw a person scribble into a new book. When I asked him why he’d destroy the book, he answered:

“Books are there for you. What’s the point of reading, if you can’t highlight your favorite sentences, ask questions?”

Since then, I never left a book unmarked. Using text markers, stickers, and pens make reading more fun, more memorable. In #7, you’ll learn how to systemize what you’ve read.

Here’s how my advice-dense books look like:

How to apply this advice

Cross out what you don’t like. Put stickers on pages where you experienced “aha” moments. Highlight what you want to remember. Jot down a question if lines are unclear. Scribble notes on the pages, to reuse what you’ve read.

#3. Replace Your Phone with Your Book

Did you know the average person spends over four hours a day on their device? If you spent half the time reading, with a reading speed of 250 words per minute and an average book length of 90,000 words, you’d finish more than two books a week.

The less time you spend on your phone, the more you’ll read.

Changing my phone habits was probably the hardest part but also the most effective one. I didn’t need to skip any activities to read 52 books a year. Decreasing my screen time enabled me to read (and write).

I tried different digital detox apps like Forest, Phocus, Freedom, and Moment but eventually, I deleted all of them. Ironically, the books Deep Work and Digital Minimalism helped me most to reclaim my time.

How to apply this advice

Disable all notifications. Use airplane mode whenever possible. When you start reading, put your phone into a different room. Replace your smartphone’s alarm function with a classic alarm clock. The only thing you can do in bed, besides sleeping, should be reading. Carry books with you while commuting. Instead of grabbing your phone, grab your book.

For a more radical guide, read Ryan Holiday’s advice for spending less time on your phone.

#4. Be Clear About Why You Read

Do you want to find facts, seek entertainment, or expand your understanding? Different books require different mindsets.

Thanks to How to Read a Book, the classic guide to intelligent reading, I learned not to read non-fiction chronologically. While I still read most books cover to cover, knowing I can skip irrelevant passages makes reading more relevant.

Your life is too short for passages that don’t serve your needs.

How to apply this advice

Ask yourself what you’re looking for before you open a book. Evaluate the first impression against your reading intention. Check whether the author has the credentials to give you advice. Many writers produce theoretical self-help fluff and have never done what they’re preaching.

If the book in your hands doesn’t fulfill what you’re looking for, put it aside. If you’re looking for specific information, identify relevant chapters, and only read those.

#5. Read Different Books Simultaneously

You don’t feel like reading before you go to sleep? Chances are high it’s the wrong book on your bed table.

I love reading non-fiction with technical investing advice, but this doesn’t mean I want to be sitting in bed at night with my mind buzzing with all the new things I learn. Instead, I quiet my mind with lighter fiction. Between my reading start and finish of Harari’s content-dense Sapiens, I read four other books.

You don’t want to eat the same dish for breakfast, lunch, and breakfast. Why would you read the same book at different times of the day?

“The most useful insights are often found at the intersection of ideas.“

— James Clear

How to apply this advice

Be okay with reading a few books at the same time. You can start a new book before you finished the one you’re reading. Start with one content-dense book for learning mode and a lighter fiction for nighttime lecture or weekend mornings.

If you’re interested in a book, but you’re not in the right frame of mind to read it just yet, put it on your reading list.

#6. Keep a “Want-To-Read” List

Reading is like every other part of life: Unless you choose what you want to read, others, like the airport’s bookshelves, will choose for you.

Moreover, the best motivator to continue reading your book is a long list of books you want to read after finishing.

The “want-to-read” piles on my bookshelf motivate me to read. One pile is for self-help advice, one for non-fiction, one for education and one for fiction.

How to apply this advice

Have a “reading list” in place and feed the list regularly. If you already have a list tracking in place, us it. If not, try Google Keep, Wunderlist, Amazon Wishlist, Bullet Journal, ToDoist, or Goodreads and settle on your favorite book tracker.

The filter function is a clear upside for Goodreads. In your “Want to Reads,” you can search for “date added” and “avg rating.” For ideas for your reading list, you can also use Goodreads to browse your friend’s lists.

#7. Apply Your Knowledge

Before building my first business, I had read dozens of books for each stage in the business lifecycle. But when it came to really starting, the biggest impact was just doing it.

At some point, “reading” distracts you from doing. You’ll get farther bumping along on your own without any books than you ever will reading and not doing anything.

Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk wrote why reading wouldn’t help you become a better entrepreneur, saying:

“But how many books from these ‘experts’ do you need to read before you can actually do something? You can only read so much and at some point, you just have to do. Stop being a student, and start being an entrepreneur.”

Be careful about whether you’re procrastinating with reading and whether it holds you back from taking action.

How to apply this advice

When you finish the book, ask yourself what to do with what you’ve just read. Go back to the pages you highlighted or put stickers on. Put what you’ve learned into action items.

For example, when you read High-Performance Habits and learn about Affirmations, commit to recording your affirmation.

Unless you follow the advice from books and do something, even the smartest advice is a waste of your time.

The Bottom Line

In any case, don’t set your goal of reading a specific number of books per year and keep Mortimer J. Adler’s words in mind:

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”

And whenever you find yourself wondering whether spending money on books is worth it, remind yourself of Benjamin Franklin who said an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.

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