The Keys to Effective Learning
[This is from Neil Strauss’s The Society- “The Life Mastery Program”- Module 1.2- The Keys To Effective Learning]
We see in many cases where 2 people begin at the same starting line, but end up achieving different results. What sets them apart is that their learning strategies are different. Below are 18 learning principles that Neil Strauss has taught me to help you excel at acquiring any skill.
The Principles of Learning
1. Don’t Trust What People Say- Trust How They Behave
Sometimes people would give you feedback that is not true, because they don’t know what you’re going through, and want you to stay the same (For example you’re going to a seminar or dressing cooler, but your friends choose to shame on you). Don’t look for others’ approval to start doing something that’s good for yourself. Your approval is your success and happiness.
2. Acquire and Apply Knowledge in Small Chunks
Some people are perfect preparers, they want to know every single detail before getting started. They use preparation as a reason for procrastination. So, take one step at a time. Just learn what you need to know right then to get better.
3. Don’t Envy Others’ Successes, Focus on Your Own
Envious is just a useless emotion, focus on your own progress.
4. There’s No Such Thing as Rejection, Only Feedback
Don’t take comments personally, it is just a comment on your technique, not on you as a person.
5. It’s Never Someone Else’s Fault
Don’t put the blame on other people. “Has anyone achieved something that you want to pursue?” If yes, then it’s your fault. If you see it as your fault, it’s a good thing, because you are in control of your own life. You’ll never become who you want to be if you keep blaming someone for what you are now. Have a willingness to examine yourself and accept criticism, without taking it personally. Just focus on doing it right next time.
6. Learn Actively Rather than Passively
The best way to learn is to just do it- through pure execution. Reading books and watching videos have no challenge, no rejection, and you also don’t learn.
7. Don’t Rehearse Negative Outcomes
Some people rehearse negative outcomes in their head, and they become self-fulfilling outcomes. Stop asking “what if” questions before you actually do it. Experiment with new ideas, and see if the negative outcome really happens. You can plan for contingencies, but it’s different from rehearsing unnecessary negative outcomes. Most things you can deal with at the moment because you’re adaptive and smart enough.
8. Take Notes
Write down the notes, and transfer them into your computer when you get home. Sometimes you print it out and study it again. The more modality you take in information, you write them, type them and say it out loud or discuss them with friends, you more your brain will learn it.
9. Understand How Your Mind Learns
4 Phases of learning: Unconscious incompetence- conscious incompetence- conscious competence- unconscious competence. No one is born great. Every one requires approx. 10,000 hours to be competent at something, and reach unconscious competence. There are so many distractions in our lives, but we need to block out the time for the 10,000 hours to get good at something.
10. Be Willing to Go Through the Pain Period
If you step out of your comfort zone, that’s where learning takes place. Trying to behave how you won’t normally do, and which you know it’s effective and good for you. The hardest part, where you want to give up the most, is usually where the breakthrough happens.
11. The Insecure Way is Really the Secure Way
A lot of family and friends tell you to choose to get a good job, get married and make some money- which is a secure way. What happens if you lose that job or money, you have nothing. The insecure way- follow your passions, and do what you feel you should be doing. If you follow that path, it may take you more time to make money, but it doesn't matter if you make money or don’t make money, because you’re following your passion and fulfilled. Here is 2 simple questions to help find your passion. 1. What were you doing between the age of 9–14, that is not for school, or not for someone else? 2. If you had no chance of making any money by doing something, what would you still be doing?
12. Be Willing to Test Ideas Even if They Don’t Seem Logical
It’s the new ideas that can help you with the breakthroughs.
13. Criticism Filter
The more you step into the world, the more criticism you’ll receive. If you get some criticism, carefully evaluate it. Do you believe it is true or not? If not, you can discard it. If it’s true, you make a plan to address it and work on it. Break down what you’ve done wrong, then talk to a bunch of people on what you should have done differently to succeed, and let go of them. However, if 3–4 unrelated people keep giving you the same piece of feedback that you kept rejecting, you should reexplore it, and see what truth is there for it.
14. When Something Works, Figure Out Why and How it Works
People who really succeed, are those who figure out why things work, instead of just copying what others are doing. The fundamental principles are what works in the long run.
15. If You Want to Get Better At Something, Hang Out with Someone Who is Better Than Yourself
Everyone has different skillsets, you can always learn from someone else. You don’t need to be with the top 1% in the world, just hang out with someone who is slightly better than you.
16. Make Sure Your Ratio of Efforts to Results is Increasing
Make sure the time you put into something, is getting actual results.
17. Finish What You Begin
Some people are just seminar junkies and do no real work. Some people want results overnight, but as long as you are making progress, then it is fine. Sometimes it’s hard for us to see our own growth, so you need patience.
18. Later Means Never
“Maybe”, “Try” and “Later” means Never. Every time that you don’t try or you talk yourself out of a new uncomfortable experience (like approaching), you are the one who’s losing. We miss 100% of the shots we don’t take.
