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How to Learn Stuff Quickly

joshwcomeau.com

31–40 of 65 posts

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#31
Learning quickly only works when every situation favors you. Because learning requires time while knowing doesn't. In this context, to be learned means to craft on your own. And only by knowing things do you get to master things.

If the above lines made sense to you, then only read the following paragraphs because I don't know if you can relate to this or not.

Learning quickly happens when you can know things quickly. That way you will have time to explore a lot and test a lot. Going through tutorials and documentation just allows you to know things. Therefore the quality of tutorials or mentors helps to grasp quickly because they just tell you what to know.

Real learning happens after you know things. Throughout my life, I got confused between knowing and learning. I can read or hear facts such that it allows me to recall the fact. But there were cases where I actually didn't understand the fact as I hadn't absorbed it completely. I just knew how things were but not the idea and reason why they were such.

When you want to truly learn something, to the finest detail, it really really requires a lot of effort and dedication. Picking up new skills is relatively easy. It just requires knowing enough to go through and solve your problems. But honing the skill to master level is really difficult.

Think about drawing sketches. You can just watch a tutorial on it and draw. Then close the tutorial and repeat it. You now know how to create at that pose. But when you want to change it, you will have to know about shading, pose, color, etc. Even if you know them, it's hard to use them because you may have never learned about them. Because to learn about colors, pose, shading requires experience and time. The more quickly you can iterate through it, the better you get about your preferences and style. Knowing them will only give you a shortcut. Learning them will give you a lot of creative freedom.

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#32
Speed is not usually a problem, at least for me. The real problem is _retention_. That is, specifically, being able to recall what I learned if I stop using it regularly for as little as even a couple of months. If anyone has some _real_ tips on how to improve that, please share.

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#33
> If you're anything like me, you don't like making mistakes. You want everything to go perfectly, the very first time. This mindset is generally helpful in life...

I'd say that it's normal to feel that way but that it's directly detrimental to learning. If you want to learn something outside your comfort zone you must first learn to recognize, identify and embrace the fact that you are outside your comfort zone.

Wanting things not to go catastrophically wrong is one thing but not letting yourself play, experiment, or even try, because you want everything to go perfectly the very first time, is probably one of the most unhelpful things in all of life.

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#34
post #32

Speed is not usually a problem, at least for me. The real problem is _retention_. That is, specifically, being able to recall what I learned if I stop using it regularly for as little as even a couple of months. If anyone has some _real_ tips on how to improve that, please share.

I usually write a quick reference/cheat sheet document for myself, first on paper, then move it over to OneNote. If I can find the paper version the next time I need it, great :) Otherwise I can look for the digital copy.

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#35
post #33

> If you're anything like me, you don't like making mistakes. You want everything to go perfectly, the very first time. This mindset is generally helpful in life... I'd say that it's normal to feel that way but that it's directly detrimental to learning. If you want to learn something outside your comfort zone you must first learn to recognize, identify and embrace the fact that you are outside your comfort zone. Wan…

> This mindset is generally helpful in life...

I don't think that's actually true. I mean, obviously, I'd _like_ things to go perfectly the first time I try, but I'm resigned to the idea that they most likely will not, and that in fact they might _never_ go perfectly. Playing the guitar taught me that. :-)

So I don't stress about failure too much, and encourage my son to start small and fail from time to time.

The opposite of what Homer Simpson's advice where he said: "You tried your best and failed miserably. The lesson is, never try."

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#36
post #28
post #27

How to Learn Stuff Quickly ? Easy ! Start before 50 years old.

Actually it's 25. Around that time your neuroplasticity changes and it becomes a lot harder to learn new things. You still can, but it takes much more effort and deliberate protocols to follow. Prof. Andrew Huberman from Stanford University School of Medicine has some great podcast episodes on this (among other interesting things) [0]. [0] https://hubermanlab.com/

I'm studying data science at engineer level (so the top level in my country), probabilities, neural nets, tons of maths, I'm 48.

> You still can, but it takes much more effort and deliberate protocols to follow.

is absolutely true, words for words :-)

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#39
post #28
post #27

How to Learn Stuff Quickly ? Easy ! Start before 50 years old.

Actually it's 25. Around that time your neuroplasticity changes and it becomes a lot harder to learn new things. You still can, but it takes much more effort and deliberate protocols to follow. Prof. Andrew Huberman from Stanford University School of Medicine has some great podcast episodes on this (among other interesting things) [0]. [0] https://hubermanlab.com/

The change is gradual however. You don't wake up one day at 25 having drastically changed neuroplasticity overnight. Being healthy and in shape also seems to be important, as well as continuing to learn new skills and engage in novel activities.

Re: How to Learn Stuff Quickly

#40
post #36
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually it's 25. Around that time your neuroplasticity changes and it becomes a lot harder to learn new things. You still can, but it takes much more effort and deliberate protocols to follow. Prof. Andrew Huberman from Stanford University School of Medicine has some great podcast episodes on this (among other interesting things) [0]. [0] https://hubermanlab.com/

I'm studying data science at engineer level (so the top level in my country), probabilities, neural nets, tons of maths, I'm 48. > You still can, but it takes much more effort and deliberate protocols to follow. is absolutely true, words for words :-)

>> You still can, but it takes much more effort and deliberate protocols to follow.

>is absolutely true, words for words :-)

Do you follow a specific protocol or method for learning these days? And compared to when you were learning something when you were younger, do you find it more challenging (even with the protocol)?

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