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Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

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Re: Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

#91

Post by lupin3ken »

5350-uiop-1130 wrote: post #25

What I would like to know is how to retain what I learn in the long-term. It's not too difficult to memorise things, either by rote memorisation or using some of the techniques described here. But, how can I remember something banal that I learn today in 10 or 20 years - without using spaced repetition, as I find that is not always maintainable in the long term. Why is my brain so efficient at erasing things I went t…

There are a bunch of evolutionary reasons that your brain forgets things that aren't used. Check this article for some related to sleep: https://www.supermemo.com/en/archives1990-2015/articles/slee...

But based on the current models of memory, you seem to be correct, your brain has a couple of criteria that it uses to determine whether or not it should retain memories. Frequency (spacing) is one, novelty could be another.

Even memories learned through mnemonics can ultimately be forgotten if not reviewed.

And I think the brain keeps itself plastic by optimizing "unnecessary" information out. Unfortunately, without help we can't choose which information is removed.

Re: Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

#92

Post by kareninoverseas »

I think learning how to build habits is underrated. I'm naturally very curious but I also tend to be impatient and easily discouraged, so in the past I've hopped from project to project without really ever finishing anything.

Recently I've been taking to heart the idea that 'if something is worth doing, it's worth doing half-assed', which basically means picking up a new body of knowledge during my downtime and letting myself slowly progress. I have a lot more fun when I'm not pressuring myself for instant results and I've seen moderate gains for the things I've been picking up (going to the gym, learning Japanese).

Taking things more slowly also helps my brain digest ideas. Sometimes I'll go faster when I feel like it's a good day; it all depends on how my brain feels. Sometimes I think people forget the brain is a muscle; it also needs rest to recover from strenuous use and to make tangible gains.

Re: Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

#94

Post by anonu »

Most of my life I've been self reliant. My thought process is that hard work pays off and that I can do anything I put my mind to. This often leads to some form of independence which I've learned is actually closer to isolationism.

I realized this by observing a good friend of mine. Whenever he wanted to learn something, he sought out an expert in that field and asked them for some of their time. Sometimes it was a golf lesson he paid for, sometimes it was a business leader he admired and just reached out to for some advice.

I immediately saw that I should strive to learn more collaboratively, through and with others.

Re: Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

#95

Post by raphaelb »

lupin3ken wrote: post #87
raphaelb wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have tried a few times to get on the anki/supermemo bandwagon but have always struggled a bit figuring out how to structure the cards. Maybe I just have some hangups with it but would love to see a good workflow or best practices for incorporating it into my study. I think specifically I would second guess myself for the syntax of the cards I was creating - and if there was another better way to do it. I always wan…

If you don't know how to structure cards to be effective, I highly recommend you read through the 20 rules of knowledge formatting https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules_of_knowledge_formulatio... I used Anki for 7 years without these rules and figured some of it out on my own. After I used Anki / supermemo to learn these rules, I can learn at a much higher rate with less reviews and higher recall.

Thank you, I will check those out.

Re: Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

#96

Post by raphaelb »

emilga wrote: post #75
raphaelb wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have tried a few times to get on the anki/supermemo bandwagon but have always struggled a bit figuring out how to structure the cards. Maybe I just have some hangups with it but would love to see a good workflow or best practices for incorporating it into my study. I think specifically I would second guess myself for the syntax of the cards I was creating - and if there was another better way to do it. I always wan…

> I think specifically I would second guess myself for the syntax of the cards I was creating - and if there was another better way to do it. This kind of perfectionism has also been bothering me. ("I need to write the card perfectly, or else it's not even worth doing or even actively harmful.") But there's a couple of points worth remembering to change this belief: 1) If a card is bad, you will notice it when review…

Thanks for your detailed reply. These are all good points. I need constant reminders about perfectionism and I like that quote.

Re: Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

#97

Post by kartickv »

afarrell wrote: post #86
kartickv wrote: post #11

Throw yourself into it, such as by speaking Chinese, in this example. I've learnt much more that way than theoretical reading, videos, etc. I learnt 100x more about running a startup after starting one, and initially doing a bad job, than by reading thousands of blog posts.

What should you do if before throwing yourself into a situation, you think, “I can’t imagine how I would handle this well.” And then during the situation you think “aaaahhhhh! I don’t know what is going on or how to usefully focus my attention or get anything done!” And then after the situation you think “well, I failed pretty badly there”? I’ve found in that sort of situation, it is tremendously useful to find a goo…

There may be some people for which my advice is bad.

But otherwise, these are lessons. If you don't focus, and so get nothing done, you'll learn to focus, by saying no to some things, even if everyone tells you they're critical.

Conversely, if you focus too much on one thing, do it excellently, and fail at other things, which I've done, I've learnt to do things to the extent needed, not more, as opposed to building a car with the world's best engine but no steering wheel.

This has just been my experience. I respect that it may not work for you.

Re: Ask HN: What are your best learning methods/hacks/tips?

#100

Post by quickthrower2 »

WhompingWindows wrote: post #17
justaguyhere wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Practice is what separates most people who are good things from those who aren't. Yes, but mindless practice doesn't help, isn't it? Is there a deliberate method to your practice? How do you keep track of your weak areas, and how do you specifically practice those weak areas?

Prevention of autopilot during practicing is a key aim of practice. When you autopilot, you allow muscle memory/habit to take over, when the entire point of practice is to improve upon your capabilities, not just repeat them over and over with no further thought.

That is what I get from skiing lessons. You focus on what you are doing so that you are not on autopilot. I sometimes do this with touch typing to make sure I’m not cheating.
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