Learning How To Learn - Superpower #2
Vitally Important, Rarely Taught Series
Laszlo Bock, the senior vice president of people operations for Google, once told in an interview that, “The No. 1 thing we look for while hiring is general cognitive ability, and it’s not I.Q. It’s the learning ability”.
When headhunters are searching for a CEO, they consider “Coachability”, to be the most crucial skill in a potential candidate.
This skill is among the least taught, yet it is one of the most crucial abilities in a rapidly changing world.
We often struggle as learners due to a lack of guidance on effective learning methods. Surprisingly, we've consistently been expected to learn without being explicitly taught 'how' to learn.
Learning occurs either through our voluntary engagement or as a result of being compelled to acquire knowledge.
Best form of learning stems from curiosity. It makes us intrinsically motivated.
The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice - Brian Herbert.
How to Learn?
The most effective way to learn is by explaining it to someone. Charlie Munger calls it the Orangutan Effect.
In one of his shareholder letter, Charlie’s partner, Warren Buffet, said, “If you sit down with an orangutan and carefully explain to it one of your cherished ideas, you may leave behind a puzzled primate, but will yourself exit thinking more clearly.”
But first we need a simple and effective way to learn. A method which can be universally applied, regardless of the subject.
The Feynman technique is considered the best step-by-step method to learn anything.
Richard Feynman, a Nobel-Prize-winning physicist, was known for his ability to simplify the most complex concepts. The technique is simple too.
Step 1 - Choose a Concept - Knowledge Acquisition
Select a topic you want to learn more about. Acquire the material. Make notes with different color pens. [One may use Mind-maps, which are powerful tools that can accelerate learning].
The key in this phase is to acquire the knowledge in batches of 30-40 minutes followed by a rest period [similar to Pomodoro]. The breaks are important and you can let your brain noodle away during the break.
Let’s quickly understand the science behind the idea of rest. The brain functions in two modes
Focus mode - When one is thinking tightly
Diffuse mode - the resting state.
‘Rest’ accelerates learning because it allows the new information to diffuse in the brain. This allows creation of new neural connections thereby reinforcing the knowledge, thanks to the phenomenon of neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity is a fundamental aspect of brain function, influencing learning and memory. It's the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. The neural networks are dynamic and allow the brain to learn, adapt, and reorganize in response to experiences.
Here is another interesting thing. Research indicates that taking short naps during the day allows the brain to rewire itself thereby promoting retention.
Two important points to note when we are in step 1 -
We must remove distractions during this step. Putting the phone away helps.
Continue to learn even if you feel you are failing / feeling stupid. This barrier can be overcome after 20 hours of work.
Step 2 - Teach & Learn
Teach what you've learned as if explaining it to a 10 year-old. A child’s vocabulary is limited and therefore we must breakdown complex ideas into easy to understand terms. It’s important to avoid using jargons, which is a way to mask our ignorance.
The person who says he knows what he thinks but cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks. - Mortimer Adler
A child's series of 'why' questions prompts us to simplify our understanding. We will be forced to build up our understanding from the most fundamental truths [First principles].
Step 3 - Identify Gaps in Your Understanding
Identify areas where you struggled to explain clearly. If a message or idea is difficult to understand, it's likely that it requires further refinement.
What questions you couldn’t answer? What did you forget? What parts confused the audience? How effective was your explanation?
These are the gaps in your knowledge.
Filling these gaps will solidify the learning.
Step 4 - Review & Simplify
Go back to your study material and improve your understanding. Get additional material if required and revise the concepts.
You have two choices now:
The better option is to simplify concepts and write them down in a memo form. This may be harder but writing will help you think clearly.
Jeff Bezos makes his top executives write memos instead of using power points.
The other option is to go for concise summaries.
To enhance retention, simplifying and condensing notes can be beneficial. Regular revision, scheduled at intervals such as one week, one month, and six months, is essential.
As notes accumulate over time, opting for concise summaries rather than extensive documentation is a wise choice. [more on this in one of my future posts]
Go to Step 2 and explain again. Repeat the steps until you can simplify and explain things clearly.
The true measure of your knowledge lies in your ability to communicate it to others.
In summary
This technique may sound simplistic but it works because it encourages metacognition or thinking about one’s own thinking.
By reflecting on how well you can explain a concept, you gain insights into your level of understanding. It helps you to identify areas where you may need to deepen your knowledge. The ability to clearly express a concept is a strong indicator of one’s knowledge.
The iterative nature of this method with cycles of teaching and reviewing reinforces the learning process.
Learning ability is a swiss army knife for success. Last year, I wrote about “Learning Ability” here.
BE A LEARNING MACHINE
Never Stop Learning
PS: I strongly recommend watching Carol Dweck’s talk on growth mindset. She underscores the idea that a growth mindset creates a love for learning.
PPS: Loving to Learn!
Excellent, as always ,very simple but extremely effective way to learn better and better.
It definitely helps when you are able to teach someone else what you learned or even talk it outloud/write on a whiteboard by yourself. Thanks for writing another great article!