The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
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Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#2I really like his example at the end - step-by-step deep dive into a specific topic. 30 hours of learning, direct links to resources, come out the other end as informed and aware of the topic at hand.
I usually find it difficult to wade through the mountains of possible (often outdated) resources on a topic I'm unfamiliar with - At one point I was thinking it'd be useful to crowdsource those kind of step-by-step guides across a variety of verticals. Kind of like an online class, except pulling from the best up to date blog posts and specific resources from around the internet, instead of relying on a singular POV of the guy who made some videos and called it a course.
Anyone know of anything like that? How do you approach deep diving into unfamiliar spaces?
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#3I'm worried this is nothing more than intellectuals showing pretty severe selection bias.
Take the archetypes listed. There are non famous failures in each. Selecting the successes is a bit of a sleight. Worse, the logic of, "if it isn't working for you, you should try a different method. It is you that is incompatible, not the methods."
I mean, I want to think that Poirot's "little grey cells" are a thing. And I know I have solved problems by thinking about them. The same problems colleagues were busy trying to solve.
I also know my colleagues have probably done more busily solving things than I have thinking about solutions. More, I know they also think. It is not an either or.
So what is to be learned? Keep trying? Change strategies. But stay away from goto statements. There is not true way, but your way is probably wrong. Or at least, you are wrong for that way? :(
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#4I'm worried this is nothing more than intellectuals showing pretty severe selection bias. Take the archetypes listed. There are non famous failures in each. Selecting the successes is a bit of a sleight. Worse, the logic of, "if it isn't working for you, you should try a different method. It is you that is incompatible, not the methods." I mean, I want to think that Poirot's "little grey cells" are a thing. And I kno…
I think what they are trying to convey is that mindless practice simply reinforces current skills.
We've all been in that state of high performance where suddenly its 2am and you think "ok 5 more minutes" then its suddenly 4am.
I would liken a lot of what he is saying there to a kind of trance state, similar to self hypnosis, where there is only the work in front of you.
I get into this state most often when I sit down to produce any kind of art, I spit and spat around starting but then after a while settle into it and can spend hours working on something, its a whole different feeling to just regular doodling, its all encompassing.
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#5I really like his example at the end - step-by-step deep dive into a specific topic. 30 hours of learning, direct links to resources, come out the other end as informed and aware of the topic at hand. I usually find it difficult to wade through the mountains of possible (often outdated) resources on a topic I'm unfamiliar with - At one point I was thinking it'd be useful to crowdsource those kind of step-by-step guid…
Honestly, this is why I just read technical books cover to cover. It’s just about the best point to point resource out there.
I think I remember seeing where Cornell offered a course structure where you’d do one course, all day, for 3 weeks and then move to the next. It was years ago, but I remember thinking I would have loved it.
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#6It makes an interesting reading but I have problems with a few things.
I don't think that "to be good at something", through practice, it's conceptually the same that understanding something new. The article doesn't make a clear difference.
About flow state: it seems that the reason flow state is difficult to achieve is (and I believe Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explain it in its book) because the task have to be in the proper level of difficulty.
Too easy and it's a boring task, too hard it's a frustrating one.
When we are leaning something new, it's very difficult to find a practice that it's just at the proper level. In fact, I would say that it's one of the most important things a mentor can do for his/her pupils: to find the perfect practice for the level of the trainee.
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#7I agree one hundred percent with this. I quit my job a while back to hack on a project and it’s insane how much shit you can accomplish in a good week. I recommend it to anyone questioning their current employment situation. Hit me up (email is in my profile) if you want to explore this life style.
The crazy thing is that even if you fail, you’ll be ten times the programmer as when you left.
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#8I agree one hundred percent with this. I quit my job a while back to hack on a project and it’s insane how much shit you can accomplish in a good week. I recommend it to anyone questioning their current employment situation. Hit me up (email is in my profile) if you want to explore this life style. The crazy thing is that even if you fail, you’ll be ten times the programmer as when you left.
I’d love to do something like this, but without any kind of income I’d probably be homeless in a few months
How do you bring in money while hacking on your passion?
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#9I really like his example at the end - step-by-step deep dive into a specific topic. 30 hours of learning, direct links to resources, come out the other end as informed and aware of the topic at hand. I usually find it difficult to wade through the mountains of possible (often outdated) resources on a topic I'm unfamiliar with - At one point I was thinking it'd be useful to crowdsource those kind of step-by-step guid…
Honestly, this is why I just read technical books cover to cover. It’s just about the best point to point resource out there. I think I remember seeing where Cornell offered a course structure where you’d do one course, all day, for 3 weeks and then move to the next. It was years ago, but I remember thinking I would have loved it.
Just to clarify, that's Cornell College, not Cornell University.
Re: The Importance of Deep Work and the 30-Hour Method for Learning a New Skill
#10I really like his example at the end - step-by-step deep dive into a specific topic. 30 hours of learning, direct links to resources, come out the other end as informed and aware of the topic at hand. I usually find it difficult to wade through the mountains of possible (often outdated) resources on a topic I'm unfamiliar with - At one point I was thinking it'd be useful to crowdsource those kind of step-by-step guid…
Honestly, this is why I just read technical books cover to cover. It’s just about the best point to point resource out there. I think I remember seeing where Cornell offered a course structure where you’d do one course, all day, for 3 weeks and then move to the next. It was years ago, but I remember thinking I would have loved it.
This is generally called a Block Plan[1] and is a great system for some students. Looks like Cornell College offers it, you got my hopes up as I'm a Cornell University student and juggling five technical courses at a time has heavy context switching penalties. On the other hand, last year taking Linear Algebra and at the same time having to apply it in a signals processing class was a good combo.
[1] http://www.expertadmissions.com/ExpertAdmissionsBlog/tabid/7...