What 0.1% Of TOP STUDENTS Do (And Why You’re Copying The Wrong Things)

Summary

This script challenges the notion that copying the habits of top students guarantees academic success. It uses the analogy of car factories with identical materials but different outcomes to illustrate that it's the 'how' of studying, not the 'what,' that matters. The video aims to equip viewers with a framework to evaluate their study techniques based on evidence, not just mimicking habits. It warns against survivorship bias, where only successful examples are considered, and encourages viewers to question and refine their study methods for optimal results.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Coping the habits of top students might not guarantee the same academic success because it's not just about 'what' they do, but 'how' they do it.
• 🏭 The analogy of car factories with the same raw materials producing different outputs highlights that the process, not just the resources, determines success.
• 📚 Simply copying habits can be misleading; it's crucial to understand the effectiveness of study techniques through evidence-based evaluation.
• 👩‍🎓 Zoe's story illustrates the potential pitfalls of adopting study habits from top students without considering individual differences and the broader context.
• 🔍 The concept of survivorship bias is introduced, warning against relying on success stories without accounting for those who tried the same methods and failed.
• 🤔 A critical question is posed: What do top students do differently from others that actually contributes to their success?
• 📝 The importance of mapping out one's entire learning process is emphasized to identify gaps and inefficiencies.
• 💯 Confidence in study techniques should be based on evidence and research, not just personal belief or the success of others.
• 🧐 It's important to consider the failure rate of techniques to understand if they are truly effective for the majority of students.
• 📈 The script encourages a data-driven approach to studying, using questions and research to refine and optimize one's learning system.

Q & A

What is the main message of the video script regarding studying habits?

The main message is that simply copying the habits of top students may not lead to the same success. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying processes and thinking patterns that lead to academic excellence rather than just mimicking actions.

Why might copying the habits of top students not be effective?

Copying habits might not be effective because it doesn't account for the individual differences and unique circumstances that contribute to a student's success. Additionally, it overlooks the potential for survivorship bias, where only the successful outcomes are visible, and the failures are not.

What is an example used in the script to illustrate the importance of processes over materials?

The script uses the example of two car factories, both with access to the same raw materials but producing vastly different outputs. This illustrates that it's the processes employed that lead to different results, not just the materials available.

What is the significance of the story about Zoe in the script?

Zoe's story is significant because it demonstrates the potential pitfalls of blindly following the advice of top students. Despite adopting the practice of using practice papers, Zoe's grades did not improve as expected, highlighting the need for a more evidence-based approach to studying.

What is survivorship bias as mentioned in the script?

Survivorship bias refers to the tendency to focus on the successful outcomes and ignore the failures. In the context of studying, it means that students might only hear about the techniques that worked for top students, without considering those who used the same techniques but did not succeed.

Why is it important to understand the learning process from start to finish?

Understanding the entire learning process is crucial because it helps identify any gaps or inefficiencies in one's study techniques. This awareness allows for a more refined and effective study system tailored to individual needs.

How can a student evaluate the effectiveness of their study techniques?

A student can evaluate the effectiveness of their study techniques by mapping out their learning process, assessing their confidence in the techniques, and examining whether their confidence is based on evidence or just assumptions.

What is the role of research and evidence in determining study technique effectiveness?

Research and evidence play a critical role in determining the effectiveness of study techniques. They provide an objective basis for evaluating whether a technique is likely to yield desired results, as opposed to relying solely on anecdotal success stories.

How can a student avoid falling into the trap of survivorship bias?

A student can avoid survivorship bias by questioning the source of their confidence in study techniques, seeking out evidence for their effectiveness, and considering the experiences of those who have not succeeded with the same techniques.

What steps does the script suggest for improving one's study system?

The script suggests mapping out the current study process, evaluating confidence levels in techniques, identifying the basis for that confidence, considering the prevalence of failure with certain techniques, and aligning techniques with fundamental learning principles backed by research.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Illusion of Copying Top Students' Habits

The paragraph discusses the common misconception that emulating the habits of top-performing students will automatically lead to academic success. It uses the analogy of two car factories with the same raw materials but drastically different outputs to illustrate that it's the process, not the materials, that determines success. The speaker introduces the idea that simply copying habits may not yield the same results and sets the stage for a deeper exploration of evidence-based studying systems.

05:02

🔍 Beyond Imitation: Identifying Effective Study Techniques

This section emphasizes the importance of understanding what sets top students apart from the average. It points out the limitations of adopting habits that may be common even among average students. The paragraph introduces the concept of survivorship bias, which skews perceptions of effectiveness towards techniques used by successful students, while overlooking those who used the same techniques but did not succeed. The speaker encourages viewers to question the source of their confidence in their study techniques and to seek evidence-based practices.

10:02

📚 Assessing Confidence in Study Techniques

The paragraph delves into the importance of having a clear understanding and confidence in one's study techniques. It suggests self-assessment by mapping out the entire learning process and questioning the effectiveness of each step. The speaker advises against relying on superficial metrics or the success of a few to gauge the effectiveness of study techniques. Instead, viewers are encouraged to base their confidence on research and evidence, and to critically evaluate the sources of their confidence in their study methods.

15:03

📈 Challenging Survivorship Bias in Learning

This paragraph continues the discussion on survivorship bias, urging students to consider the failure rates of common study techniques to gain a balanced view of their effectiveness. It challenges the audience to look beyond the success stories and to critically evaluate whether the techniques they use are truly evidence-based. The speaker recommends resources for further reading and exploration, such as a report on learning by Dr. Justin Sun, and encourages viewers to use these insights to refine their learning systems for better academic outcomes.

Keywords

💡Academic Excellence

Academic Excellence refers to the high achievement of students in their academic pursuits. In the context of the video, it is the ultimate goal that students are striving for, often by emulating the habits of top achievers. The video challenges the notion that copying these habits will automatically lead to similar success, emphasizing the importance of understanding the underlying processes and strategies that truly contribute to academic excellence.

💡Survivorship Bias

Survivorship Bias is a cognitive bias where the focus is on the successful outcomes and the failures are ignored. The video uses this concept to caution against assuming that because top students use certain techniques, those techniques must be effective for everyone. It points out that many students may use the same techniques without achieving the same level of success, but their stories are less likely to be heard.

💡Evidence-Based

Evidence-Based techniques are those that are supported by research and empirical evidence. The video encourages students to evaluate their study methods based on evidence rather than just the success stories of a few. It suggests that the effectiveness of a study technique should be grounded in research findings and not merely on anecdotal evidence from top students.

💡Studying Techniques

Studying Techniques refer to the methods and strategies used by students to learn and retain information. The video discusses the importance of critically evaluating these techniques to ensure they are effective and not just blindly following what top students do. It suggests mapping out one's learning process to identify potential gaps and inefficiencies.

💡Confidence in Techniques

Confidence in Techniques relates to the certainty a student has that their study methods will yield the desired results. The video challenges students to assess the basis of their confidence, questioning whether it is rooted in personal experience, research, or simply the success of others. It emphasizes the need for a justified confidence based on evidence and personal results.

💡Top 1% Students

Top 1% Students are those who achieve the highest academic results in their cohort. The video uses this term to highlight the common tendency of other students to imitate their habits. It suggests that merely copying these habits without understanding the underlying principles may not lead to the same level of success.

💡Practice Papers

Practice Papers are a common study technique where students work on past exam papers to prepare for tests. The video uses the example of practice papers to illustrate how a technique that is effective for top students might not be universally effective. It points out the potential for survivorship bias, where the success stories of those who use practice papers are more likely to be shared than those who did not benefit from them.

💡Learning Process

The Learning Process encompasses the entire journey from acquiring new information to retaining and recalling it. The video encourages students to map out their learning process to identify areas for improvement. It suggests that a clear understanding of one's learning process is crucial for optimizing study techniques and achieving academic excellence.

💡Efficiency in Studying

Efficiency in Studying refers to the ability to achieve the maximum results with the minimum amount of time and effort. The video discusses the importance of having a refined study process to ensure that every effort contributes to learning effectively. It contrasts this with a haphazard approach, where students might guess their way through study sessions without a clear strategy.

💡Fundamental Learning Principles

Fundamental Learning Principles are the core concepts that underpin effective learning and retention of information. The video suggests that students should align their study techniques with these principles, which are often supported by research. It implies that techniques that do not adhere to these principles may not be as effective in promoting long-term learning.

💡Discord

Discord, in the context of the video, refers to a platform where the video's audience can engage in further discussions and receive guidance on study techniques. The video encourages students to join their public Discord to continue exploring and refining their learning strategies, suggesting that a community approach can be beneficial for learning and support.

Highlights

The transcript discusses the myth of copying habits of top students for academic success.

It introduces the concept that the 'how' of studying is more critical than the 'what'.

An analogy of car factories is used to explain the difference between having the right materials and the right processes.

The video proposes a framework to evaluate the effectiveness of one's study system.

The story of Zoe, a student aiming for medical school, is shared to illustrate the pitfalls of blindly following top students' advice.

Zoe's experience with practice papers shows mixed results, questioning the effectiveness of copying habits.

The concept of survivorship bias is introduced, explaining why certain study habits might not be as effective as they seem.

The importance of asking the right questions to get the right answers in the context of study habits is emphasized.

A three-step process is outlined to help viewers evaluate their study techniques.

The first step involves mapping out one's entire learning process to identify gaps.

The second step is about assessing confidence in the effectiveness of one's study techniques.

The third step questions the source of confidence in study techniques, advocating for evidence-based approaches.

The video challenges viewers to consider whether their study techniques are truly unique to top students or common among average ones.

The concept of evidence-based learning is promoted over following popular or traditional study habits.

The video provides a worksheet and additional resources for viewers to refine their study systems.

A call to action is made for viewers to join a public Discord community for further discussion and guidance.

The video concludes with a recap of the key points and a reminder to be critical of study advice.

Transcripts

ever tried copying the habits of the

smartest kid in class hoping that some

of their genius would just rub off on

you maybe you started eating the same

exact Sero that they did thinking that

there might be some magic in those

flakes now just hold up a second here

what if I told you that the real game

changer isn't in what they do but how

they think and do learning in classrooms

all around the world there's this silent

epidemic in the Quest for academic

Excellence students often look at the

top Achievers to try and make the habits

that they have and they think that they

will make them a top 1% student as well

and if you're one of these students

you're probably thinking hey if I just

do exactly what they're doing I'll be

golden right well let's think about this

with an example let's say there are two

different car factories one of them

produces a state-of-the-art cars at

lightning speed and the other struggle

to satisfactorily create these entry

level models but both factories have

access to the same raw materials however

their outputs they differ drastically

why well it's because it doesn't matter

about the materials that they have it's

about the processes that they are

employed in other words it's the how not

the what in the studying world the same

principles apply simply copying the

habits of top students might not get you

the same results as them so in this

video I will show you a framework that

you can use to evaluate how

evidence-based your studying system is

so you have the highest probability of

using the best system for you before I

reveal the three-step process you need

to understand why simply copying or

conforming to everything that top

students say can be very misleading so

let's rewind a little bit I particularly

remember having this conversation a few

years ago now with this student named

Zoe and she was in grade 11 at the time

now Zoe was a very ambitious student and

she was doing all right with her grades

she wasn't struggling or failing she was

getting around the top 10% of her grade

but for her she had her sites on getting

into medicine a course where you really

do need to have that top 1% result so

with her final year of high school just

around the corner Zoe had to find a

solution to improve her grades quite

fast she really needed something that

was going to take her to the next level

and so she did what she felt most

logical she went ahead and asked the

other top 1% students at her school

about what to do she asked for their

advice and guess what happened a pattern

emerged here each every one of these

High Flyers they swore by this single

technique practice papers and I remember

exactly how Zoe felt she was like this

is it this is exactly what I've been

looking for I've never really done it

much before this must be the key to

getting top grades and so feeling

inspired Zoe dived head first into the

whole world of practice papers that

there are however what happened quite

soon afterwards is that Zoe got these

mixed results from doing more practice

papers for certain subjects she saw a

small boost in her results which was

expected because she wasn't really doing

practice papers before but as Zoe

continued to do more papers she quickly

realized that her grades were now barely

improving and even starting to stagnate

at times she even saw this drop in her

grades and she was super confused as to

why that would even happen because she

was applying the advice that she heard

as a result Zoe felt that her goal of

medicine was just slipping away by the

day and you know what I come across so

many stories like Zo almost every single

day and her story it might even feel

similar to the situation that you might

be in right now but it is so important

to know how to verify the advice that

you hear otherwise you're heading

towards this path that's unknown where

there may be potential disappointment

and frustration when everyone's

Whispering different success formulas in

your ears how do you filter the gold

from what's just glitter so I asked her

some really important questions because

these questions they help differentiate

truly beneficial study advice from

advice that is frankly just misinformed

overly superficial or simply misleading

here's the first question that I ask so

and please ask yourself too do you want

to know what the top 10% of students do

probably answer yes right now what if I

asked you do you want to know what the

top 1% of students do you'd probably

also say yes but what if I said do you

want to know what the top

0.00001% of students do what would your

answer be then still Yes or maybe

now I'm going to tell you the secret

listen very closely they all

breathe and you like what is going on

what is this look here's the thing if

you don't ask the right questions you're

never going to get the right answers

something that's common among top

students could very well be common among

average students too if you're asking

the question what do top students do

it's very likely that you might end up

with habits that are common for even

average students and well those habits

they don't necessarily work for the

results that you want right and

breathing it's this Universal thing it's

not really going to help so the better

question to be asking is what do the top

students do that other students are not

doing you need to identify what top

students do differently from the average

joke you know what habit truly set the

top students apart think about practice

papers yes the top students they do use

them they do get good results but aren't

there also countless students who dive

deep into P papers yet didn't quite hit

the mark well where are they they aren't

sharing their stories just telling

everyone about how it didn't work for

them if it were me I'd probably silently

disappear into the background too but

Zoe can only lend her ears to the

success stories and so she's completely

completely in the dark about how many

more students might have used practice

papers but were not successful and I can

tell you for a fact anyone who is trying

to get good grades is probably using

practice papers so how can Zoe have an

accurate gauge of whether the practice

papers are effective or not if she

doesn't have a reliable way of knowing

if this technique works for everyone

what if for example practice papers

aren't the singular magic trick to

achieving top grades what if top

students who use practice papers are at

the top for another reason this skewed

perception of how effective practice

papers are that's survivorship bias and

survivorship bias isn't limited to just

practice papers it could be about

anything morning routines diet how to

take notes even finer details like using

flashcards time management techniques or

how to train your focus are included

here all of these could be irrelevant to

achieving your top grades because of the

survivorship bias so we need to focus on

doing the things that objectively give

us the highest probability of success

there is no good reason to invest our

time energy and resources in something

that does not change our chances or in

something that actually lowers them so

how are we going to do this by using

these questions I'm going to give you

today you can objectively determine how

effective your studying techniques are

and then you'll be able to prioritize

what improvements you need to make now

for this video make sure to follow along

with the p PF in the description that we

have below so question number one do you

have a clear understanding of what

techniques you use when studying you

want to try and map out what your whole

learning process looks like from start

to finish and really think about it what

studying or learning techniques do you

actually use and so add as much detail

here as you can think about how you take

information into your brain how you take

down notes what questions you're asking

yourself as you hear information how you

relate this information to other things

that you're learning or what you've

learned previously in other classes how

you revise your notes and how you do it

differently or similarly each time if

you struggle to map out your whole

learning process from start to finish

then there's likely many gaps in your

studying process these gaps in your

awareness of the techniques that you are

using they are an inefficiency that you

need to fix and so these gaps they show

that you don't have a fully refined

study process and if you let these gaps

go unol D you aren't using your time and

effort to its full potential imagine for

a moment that you're in a kitchen and

you're just ready to cook up a store you

don't quite have a recipe so you just

throw in some ingredients you're hoping

for the best maybe you put a pinch of

salt in there a dash of herbs and it's

all just a guessing game here if the

dish comes out amazing could you

recreate it probably not now think about

what this means when you apply the same

guess work to studying if you don't have

a solid studying process you're in the

dark about what is specifically working

and what's not it's almost impossible to

strategically prepare for the outcome

that you want and so instead you want

predictably awesome results so you need

a recipe that details every step of that

cooking process especially if you're

just starting out without that you have

a recipe for disaster whether you're in

the kitchen or you're at the study desk

knowing your tools and perfecting your

Technique every single time is

incredibly important question two how

confident are you that the techniques

that you use will produce the results

you want on a scale of 1 to 10 how

confident are you that the learning

processes that you have mapped out will

produce the results that you want for

example you might take notes in class on

your laptop typing out every single word

that your teacher is saying but how

confident are you that this approach is

going to allow you to get that shiny A+

in your exams you may give a score of 8

out of 10 for confidence that typing out

your notes will give you an A+ in your

exams and once you have given it a score

you can now move on to the third

question which is where does my

confidence in these studying techniques

actually come from now that you've given

a score of from 1 to 10 for each of your

studying techniques ask yourself why why

do you give that specific score going

back to the example of typing out your

notes imagine you gave it that solid 8

out of 10 confidence for you getting

that 8+ but I want you here to really

dig deeper why eight is it because

typing out your notes is what the top

student in your class does if that's the

case you might be falling prey to that

survivorship bias because you're

anchoring your trust in the technique

just because you've heard of someone

successful using it this is forgetting

everyone who also uses this but failed

to get the top result or is the higher

reading of confidence due to the fact

that your typing helps you turn out more

notes than others if so this means your

confidence in typing rests on quantity

you have this belief that more notes

means higher grades and so if the roots

of our confidence stem from what other

students are doing or from superficial

metrics like the sheer quantity of notes

or time taken to make those notes it is

a red flag that your techniques are not

so evidence-based or effective maybe you

can't even answer this question you know

where does your confidence come from

this inability also shows that your

studying techniques are probably not

highly optimized and so it's likely that

you start slowly seeing this gap between

what you think is effective versus what

is truly effective which is probably

confidence shattering so instead you

want to do this you want to base your

confidence rating on whether the

techniques you're using are backed by

research and evidence and we'll go

through this in a moment in question

number five your confidence should also

be based on the results that were

produced for the time that you had

invested into it and so question number

three is really helping us dissect if

something actually works at the end of

the day aligning what you believe works

with what actually works can make all of

the difference question four do I know

how many people are using the same

learning processes but are not

successful take a look at the techniques

that you have listed which techniques

were copied from a top student for the

techniques that you've copied ask

yourself this are there other students

who are using this exact same technique

yet still perform lower than expected if

your answer is no then you must consider

the survivorship bias and if it's

present again because you're likely only

hearing the surviving success story

stories and as we've mentioned before

there are probably many study techniques

used by many Toppers but also used by

far more students who are not hitting

those top marks you need to stop copying

studying techniques just because a top

student uses them you really want to

start investigating and questioning the

technique is this technique really

anchored in evidence does this technique

really work when put to the test across

various students and once you start in

investigating you begin to filter and

only use techniques based on science

rather than hear question number five do

more people who use this technique fail

than those who succeed if you've

understood survivorship bias by now

you'll realize how difficult of a task

it is to figure out the failure rate of

certain techniques can you really expose

yourself to those who apply the same

advice and failed unlikely but by asking

this question you'll realize that the

commonly used techniques often lead to

very common results for the masses and

when I say common I mean really average

not the kind that you aiming for by

watching this video day in and day out I

speak with students who clutch onto

mainstream techniques used by rank

Toppers and high achieving students but

these students I speak to still miss the

mark and it's simply because these

techniques are often ineffective or it's

the fact that these techniques aren't

even what you need so what we have done

is that we've saved you from a lot of

the hard work and answered this for you

on this channel on this channel we've

specifically chosen techniques that will

help give you the best starting point to

build a hyper refined learning system

however even though these techniques

they can be groundbreaking in themselves

they are by no means Ultra comprehensive

and fully adapted to meet every

condition that is unique to your

scenario and so that is why I recommend

that you join our public Discord to

continue this discussion after watching

our videos you can find that in the

description below we're pulling back the

curtains on popular studying techniques

on this channel and we're just laying

them be both of their strengths and

their weaknesses and if you fill out the

worksheet below with these questions it

will recommend to you what to do based

on your situation and by watching more

of our videos they will help you make

better decisions about what study

techniques and strategies you should use

for yourself all the conclusions that we

make and draw they are supported by

research where available and they're

also backed up by our experience so

going back to question three to

determine whether or not your learning

processes are actually based on evidence

or not I highly recommend that you read

the report on learning by Dr Justin Sun

the co-founder and head of learning at

ion study and you can also find that in

the description below and there's a lot

of references there if you're interested

in that as well and what you can also do

here is explore the fundamental learning

principles discussed in that report and

see whether or not the techniques you

use are actually backed by these

principles if your techniques are in

line with the fundamental principles of

effective learning that's a great step

forward however for most students in my

experience many of the techniques used

are not really aligned with the

principles discussed and that's

perfectly normal right but refer to the

worksheet for the next steps for you to

upgrade your Learning System okay so

here's a recap in question one I asked

you whether or not you have a clear

understanding of the techniques and the

processes that you have and use when you

study if you've done this you should

have now a full map of your learning

process from start to finish in question

two I asked you about how confident you

are that the techniques you use will get

you the results that you want and then

in question three we explored where your

confidence actually comes from when it

comes to these techniques if your

confidence was purely based on metrics

such as quantity or time or because a

top student is using it then these are

weak metrics and you want your

confidence to come from

strong research and evidence to actually

back up those techniques in question

four I ask you to determine the

possibility of other people using the

same learning processes for not being

successful and this relates back to

survivorship bias as we discussed before

finally in question number five I ask

you to determine whether or not people

fail using a certain technique more than

those who succeed a very strong learning

process and system will realistically

allow most students to use this process

and succeed however if most people are

actually not succeeding using that

technique then this forces us to think

about this technique and really question

if it's truly effective so there you

have it be very aware of the

survivorship bias and from copying

misinformed advice now make sure to

subscribe and check out the other videos

on this channel as we continue to go

through different learning techniques

that are going to help you on your

journey to become more efficient and

effective I'll catch you on the next one

and

[Music]

bye-bye

[Music]

he