The simple way to learn anything 10x faster

Summary

This video emphasizes the importance of efficient learning to upgrade your brain, comparing it to a biological supercomputer. It outlines five key steps: taking ownership, understanding the big picture (jigsaw), chunking information, alternating focus with diffuse thinking, and using spaced repetition for retention. The video also highlights the benefits of learning platforms like Skillshare for skill enhancement.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The brain is a powerful tool that can be upgraded for effective learning, akin to switching from dial-up to fiber optic internet.
• 💡 To truly learn something, it should be a 'forever tool', easily accessible and not forgotten.
• 🌟 The speaker's success is attributed to a learning system that emphasizes the importance of understanding the brain's capacity for learning.
• 📦 The brain is compared to an almost infinite warehouse that organizes information as you learn and grow.
• 🔑 Taking ownership of what you learn is crucial; having a specific problem to solve can motivate and focus your learning.
• 🧩 The 'jigsaw' method suggests learning in a cohesive manner, starting with the big picture before diving into details.
• 🔑 'Chunking' is a learning technique that helps overcome the limitations of working memory by combining information into digestible parts.
• 💡 Making learning fun and emotionally engaging increases the likelihood of retention.
• 🤔 'Defuse mode' or daydreaming can be beneficial for learning, as it allows the brain to make broader connections and find solutions.
• 🔄 'Space repetition' is a systematic way to review information to combat forgetting and strengthen memory retention.
• 📈 The speaker hints at a 'secret sixth step' to learning, which will be the focus of a future video.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to teach viewers the most effective ways to learn and upgrade their brains, emphasizing the importance of efficient and effective learning.

Why is it crucial to have a better brain?

Having a better brain is crucial because it allows you to compete more effectively in life, transform your knowledge into practical skills, and apply what you learn in the real world.

What is the first step in the learning process according to the video?

The first step is to take ownership of what you want to learn by having a specific problem you want to solve, which gives purpose to the information you're learning.

What is the 'jigsaw' step in the learning process?

The 'jigsaw' step involves understanding the big picture first before diving into the details, similar to putting together a jigsaw puzzle by assembling the whole scene rather than memorizing individual pieces.

How can you move information from short-term memory to long-term memory?

You can move information from short-term memory to long-term memory by processing it in working memory, which involves actively engaging with the information and reducing distractions.

What is the concept of 'chunking' in learning?

Chunking is the process of combining information into more digestible, bite-sized chunks to fit more efficiently into the limited slots of working memory, making it easier to remember and process.

Why is it beneficial to let your mind wander during the learning process?

Letting your mind wander engages the diffuse mode of thinking, which broadens your thought processes and allows you to scan through your entire knowledge base, potentially uncovering relevant associations and ideas.

What is the fifth step in the learning process mentioned in the video?

The fifth step is to use spaced repetition, a technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals to reinforce memory and prevent forgetting.

How does the video suggest using the concept of 'ownership' in learning?

The video suggests using the concept of 'ownership' by having a specific problem you want to solve, which motivates you to learn the necessary tools and information more effectively.

What is the purpose of the 'El 515 2565' concept in the learning process?

The 'El 515 2565' concept is a way to build a framework in learning by explaining a concept to people of different ages and levels of understanding, starting with the simplest explanation and gradually adding complexity.

How does the video relate learning to the idea of a 'bottleneck of stupid'?

The 'bottleneck of stupid' refers to the limitation of working memory, which can only hold a few items at a time. This bottleneck is crucial for preventing the brain from being overwhelmed by too much information, and learning involves effectively navigating this limitation.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Mastering the Art of Learning

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of efficient learning for personal growth and success. It likens the brain to a supercomputer, highlighting the need to upgrade our learning methods to keep up with the fast pace of information. The speaker, a board-certified doctor with Ivy League degrees, shares his learning system that has contributed to his success. The brain is described as an almost infinite warehouse that absorbs information when inspired. The speaker introduces the concept of 'ownership' in learning, suggesting that having a specific problem to solve can motivate learning and make information stick. The importance of understanding the brain's capacity and learning style is underscored.

05:01

🧩 The Jigsaw Puzzle of Knowledge

The second paragraph delves into the learning strategy of 'jigsaw,' which involves understanding the big picture before focusing on the details. It compares memorizing a 1000-piece puzzle to learning in chunks, reducing the cognitive load on working memory. The 'EL 5152565' concept is introduced as a practical way to build a framework of understanding, starting from the most basic level to the most complex. The speaker uses the analogy of a girl's phone number to illustrate how to chunk information into memorable and accessible parts, emphasizing the importance of making learning fun and emotionally engaging to improve retention.

10:03

🔍 The Power of Diffused Thinking

This paragraph discusses the benefits of diffused thinking, or daydreaming, as a powerful tool for learning. It challenges the conventional wisdom that constant focus is the key to effective learning. The speaker explains that diffused mode allows the brain to scan through a broader range of knowledge, making unexpected connections and facilitating the retrieval of relevant information. The 'default mode network' is introduced as a neural network that connects various regions of the brain, enabling the discovery of 'Eureka' moments. The speaker encourages learners to step away from intense focus and allow their minds to wander, which can lead to deeper understanding and creative insights.

Keywords

💡Efficient Learning

Efficient learning refers to the process of acquiring knowledge or skills in a manner that maximizes retention and minimizes wasted effort. In the video, it is presented as a key to upgrading one's brain and transforming life. The script emphasizes that learning should be like upgrading from dial-up to fiber optic internet, suggesting a significant improvement in the way information is absorbed and applied.

💡Brain

The brain is described as a 'biological supercomputer' in the script, highlighting its capacity to learn and store vast amounts of information. The video's theme revolves around the idea that the brain has an almost infinite capacity for learning, and the script uses the analogy of a warehouse to illustrate how the brain organizes and categorizes knowledge.

💡Ownership

Ownership, in the context of the video, means taking personal responsibility for what one learns. The script suggests that for information to be retained effectively, one must have a clear motivation or problem to solve, which gives purpose to the learning process. This concept is integral to the video's message about the importance of having a personal stake in one's education.

💡Jigsaw Puzzle

The jigsaw puzzle analogy is used to explain the concept of understanding the big picture before focusing on the details. It suggests that learning should begin with a holistic view, allowing one to see the interconnectedness of information before breaking it down into individual components. This method is presented as a more efficient way to learn and remember complex information.

💡Chunking

Chunking is the process of organizing information into meaningful groups or 'chunks' to facilitate easier recall and understanding. The script uses the example of remembering a phone number by associating it with familiar concepts (e.g., Red Sox, 40-Year-Old Virgin), demonstrating how chunking can help overcome the limitations of working memory and make learning more efficient.

💡Working Memory

Working memory is described as a 'tiny workbench' with limited slots, which is where information is initially processed before moving to long-term memory. The script emphasizes the importance of minimizing distractions and focusing on one task at a time to effectively utilize this limited capacity for learning.

💡Diffuse Mode

Diffuse mode is presented as an alternative to the traditional focus mode of thinking. It involves letting the mind wander, which can lead to unexpected insights and connections. The script suggests that this mode of thinking is essential for learning as it allows the brain to scan through its entire 'library' of knowledge, potentially uncovering new ways to understand or solve problems.

💡Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique where information is reviewed at increasing intervals over time to enhance long-term retention. The script explains that this method helps to combat the forgetting curve by reinforcing memories at optimal times, ensuring that learned material becomes more robust and less likely to be forgotten.

💡Forgetting Curve

The forgetting curve represents the decline in memory retention over time. The script uses the metaphor of a girl's phone number becoming hazy over time to illustrate how memories fade unless actively reinforced. The concept is central to the discussion of spaced repetition and the importance of revisiting learned material.

💡Default Mode Network

The default mode network is a network of brain regions that are active when the mind is at rest and not focused on the outside world. The script suggests that engaging this network through diffuse mode thinking can lead to 'Eureka' moments, indicating that it plays a crucial role in creative thinking and problem-solving.

💡Skillshare

Skillshare is mentioned as an online learning community offering a wide range of classes taught by industry professionals. The script uses Skillshare as an example of a platform that can help viewers apply the principles of efficient learning to various fields, from art to entrepreneurship.

Highlights

The video emphasizes the importance of efficient and effective learning for personal growth and success.

The brain is likened to a 'biological supercomputer' capable of upgrading through learning.

Learning should result in 'forever tools' that are easily accessible and not forgotten.

The speaker, a board-certified doctor, attributes much of their success to the learning system presented.

Understanding the brain as an 'almost infinite-sized warehouse' is crucial for effective learning.

The concept of 'extor' or ownership is introduced as the first step in the learning process.

Having a specific problem to solve can accelerate the learning process by providing motivation.

The 'jigsaw' method suggests learning the big picture before focusing on the details.

The 'El 515 2565' concept is introduced to build the framework before filling in details.

Working memory is described as a 'bottleneck of stupid' with limited slots for processing information.

Chunking is presented as a method to overcome the limitations of working memory.

The importance of making learning fun and emotionally engaging to aid memory retention is highlighted.

The speaker explains how to build intelligence by scaling information through chunking.

Daydreaming and diffuse mode thinking are advocated for learning and creativity.

Spaced repetition is introduced as a technique to combat the forgetting curve.

The video mentions a 'secret sixth step' to be revealed in a future video.

Skillshare is recommended as a platform for learning various skills and enhancing the brain.

The video concludes with a call to action for subscribing and supporting the channel.

Transcripts

I don't care if you're in school or not

this video is going to be one of the

most important things you will ever

watch in your entire life because if you

want a better life it starts with a

better brain and the only way to upgrade

your brain is through efficient and

effective learning your brain is a

biological supercomputer if you've been

uploading data into your skull using

dialup internet how are you going to

compete with someone using a fiber optic

hookup when you learn something you want

it to stick you want it to transform you

you want to be able to apply it in the

real world each thing you learn should

be what I call a forever tool easily

available easily accessible not

forgotten in some dusty drawer somewhere

or made of Jello-O if you're Batman it

goes right into your fancy yellow Batman

fanny pack in this video I'll teach you

the most effective way to learn as a

board certified doctor with three Ivy

leak degrees I owe a lot of My Success

to this very system quite larly it is

the most fundamental skill you could

ever learn for with it you gain the

super power to do almost

anything and it all starts with the

first thing understanding the brain your

brain is an almost infinite sized

Warehouse it starts off empty and devoid

of information but as you learn and grow

packages start to come in aisle 5 is the

fruit section aisle six is philosophy

and aisle 7 is

math it may not feel like it sometimes

but your brain is amazing at learning

when inspired it absorbs information

like a sponge you want someone to

understand the importance of math don't

start with random equations start with

what's in it for them start talking

about the time value of money and what

Billy owes you from that $10 loan you

gave him 3 weeks ago for Pokémon cards

oh sorry Billy you didn't read the fine

print those $10 were actually being

compounded daily at a 25% interest rate

that means you owe me

$1,084 20 now son no your Lunchables and

Juicy Juice Box isn't going to cut it

this time should have paid more

attention in math first step is exactly

that it's called extor I mean ownership

own what you learn the tiny dudes in

your brain Warehouse isn't going to

carefully care for the packages being

delivered unless the big boss upstairs

says it's important to do so if it

wasn't apparent already you are the big

boss upstairs the quickest way to

ownership is to have a specific problem

you want to solve ask yourself what new

superpower or door will I unlock if I

serious ly learn this answer may not be

obvious nor may it be immediate but if

you take the time to ponder this and

come up with something that truly

motivates you everything that enters

your brain next is going to have immense

purpose if your plan is to take over the

world is knowing geography going to be

helpful how are you going to Corner the

transatlantic Pokemon card Market if you

don't even know where the Atlantic Ocean

is oh no second step is called the

jigsaw there are many iterations and

ways to do the jigsaw but the idea is

simple if you want to memorize a

1000piece jigsaw puzzle you don't

painstakingly memorize 1,000 little

pieces one by one you put together the

jigsaw puzzle first and then memorize

the one cohesive scene in front of you

1,000 individual data points reduced to

just one elegant and efficient another

words there's an order of operations

when you learn it's kind of like a set

of Russian nesting dolls the first layer

is the big picture 50,000 ft aerial view

see the forest before you study the

trees little by little do you then

weighed into the finer details a great

practical way to do this is what I call

the El 515 2565 concept and in that

order can you explain it to a 5-year-old

a 15-year-old a 25-year-old with a

masters a 65-year-old with a PhD a

100-year-old with late stage dementia

sitting in Hospice Care in need of a

diaper change build the framework in

Foundation first before filling in the

details there's a reason you need to

feed your brain this way to explain

imagine there's a girl in front of you

because you realize she's one human and

two alive you know she's marriage

material this opportunity may not come

again timidly you ask for her number and

wow she gives it to you

61745

88 her number is now a tiny little

package in your head it sits in

short-term memory the tin tiny receiving

area of your brain at the front of the

warehouse unfortunately if you don't

process this package soon it's going to

get lost in the never-ending stream of

deliveries coming into short-term memory

how do you move something from

short-term memory to long-term memory

you can't just hand it off to the dudes

in the back of the warehouse because

separating short-term memory and

long-term memory is what I call the

bottleneck of stupid the bottleneck of

stupid sounds stupid but is in fact a

very good thing if it were not for this

barrier the millions of packages being

delivered into your Consciousness every

second would soon overwhelm your hard

drives overriding and erasing everything

you hold dear because you're motivated

to remember this girl's number you put

the package on a tiny workbench called

working memory it's called working

memory because it's here that you get to

work unfortunately this workbench has

only four to seven slots a limitation no

one can overcome this is why you can

only recall a few items on your grocery

list at a time why this girl's 10-digit

number is stressed ing your brain out

it's also fundamentally why you must

limit distractions having a distraction

is you taking a slot out of service and

literally dumbing down your brain at

this point what do most people do they

brute force it they tend to smash the

package through the bottleneck of stupid

repeating it 50 times in their heads

hoping it will stick unfortunately brute

force will not overcome the limitations

of working memory but the third step of

learning will it's called chunking

combine what you want to learn into more

digestible bite-sized chunks by doing so

you can ctively fit larger items into

the few slots you have check it your

girl's number isn't some random 10

digits it's actually just three things

617 is the area code for Boston I.E a

pair of Red Socks

588 is actually just boobs written on a

calculator upside down and 40 is the 40

year-old virgin you'll soon become if

you don't freaking lock down this girl's

number now collapse that into one

perfectly concise image Steve Carroll

from 40-Year-Old Virgin wearing a pair

of Red Socks fining a calculator the

more fun you have with it and the more

emotionally ceiling it becomes the more

likely it will stick furthermore this is

how your brain encodes and retrieves all

information anyway it's that Russian

nesting doll phenomenon again something

needing 10 Slots of memory collaps into

three slots collapses into one for

example when you first learn a word you

need all the slots of working memory to

piece together the letters a p p l e

when you become more fasile with it your

brain chunks it together into one word

for efficiency Apple eventually even the

word itself just becomes part of a

larger chunk which in turn becomes part

of another the concept itself can even

be borrowed and associated with other

ideas this is how you scale information

and how intelligence is built you either

build a more massive library of chunks

to choose from or increase how flexibly

you can manipulate the chunks you

already have a true Master like Leonardo

da Vinci studies material in such an

interconnected way that he's able to

chunk material in C associations the

average person cannot this is how he's

able to fit an entire library of

knowledge into one slot flexibly

expanding and collapsing any part of it

instantaneously quickly zeroing in on

the specific concept of Interest he does

the same with the other slots and thus

is able to elegantly manipulate larger

swats of data despite just having around

five SL lots too because he's able to

compare and contrast among five entire

libraries worth of knowledge expanding

and collapsing them like a windal god

he's able to make connections between

disciplines and see things no one else

could possibly imagine there's no reason

why you can't build your brain in the

same way too speaking of building up

your brain the perfect way to do so is

with skillshare I've been looking to get

better at doodling and all things

procreate the animation app I use to

draw these little stick friends before

Brooks's class I was using my own slow

manual workarounds to get the effects I

wanted thanks to her intro to procreate

class I now know how to use masks and

other cool new features I never knew

existed speeding up my workflow like a

pro skillshare is not just limited to

Art it's actually the largest online

community with thousands of classes led

by industry Pros you have classes on

writing film making entrepreneurship

productivity and much more their

learning paths are handpicked classes

meant to upgrade your brain from the

ground level so it doesn't matter if if

you're just getting started or a more

advanced learner first 500 people to use

my link in the description will receive

a 1-month free trial of skillshare get

started today thanks to skillshare for

sponsoring this video fourth step is to

let your mind wander conventional

thinking has given daydreaming a bad rep

they tell kids to stop messing around to

snap to attention and to stay laser

focused on the task at hand it's always

about focus focus in pursuit of

superhuman levels of attention and

discipline unfortunately to much of a

good thing can be bad in Focus mode you

stick with one section of your brain

Library zeroing in on the one book on

the Shelf you force yourself to read and

reread it convinced that the answer to

the problem is somewhere there this is

the definition of narrow-mindedness

luckily there's another way the opposite

of focus mode is defuse mode in the

diffuse mode of thinking you broaden

your thought processes when you let your

mind wander you inadvertently scroll

through your entire Library scanning

multiple shelves sections you didn't

even know existed and in doing so you

end up taking lessons from the hundreds

of books you've read over your lifetime

some random idea you learned ages ago

the exact key you need now is sitting in

that amorphous blob of thoughts waiting

for you to find it again this all

happens unconsciously when you engage

the diffuse mode it's kind of like

hitting the search button and scanning

your entire brain for nuggets moreover

as the brain scans it begins seeding and

indexing this idea you just learned

throughout your brain as as relevant

associations come up making it that much

harder to forget what you just learned

that's why when a concept just doesn't

make sense Don't Force It simply step

away when you let go mentally you engage

the default mode Network a super highway

connecting almost every region of your

brain as we've discussed in a previous

video your brain is really a small

Universe you don't realize it but

somewhere in this brain universe is your

Eureka moment it's literally in your

head you just have to find it ponder

over it in the background give it some

time and it will come that's why Eureka

moments happens when you least expect it

in the shower on the toilet when someone

mentions something completely random

this is how you think outside the box

how you literally use your entire brain

bottom line is this Learning Happens not

just when you focus on the task not just

when you sit down to learn learning

happens even when you step away when you

rest when you disengage to optimize your

own learning you must learn how to do

both fifth step is space repetition the

first time I used space repetition was

in medical school drinking from a fire

hose of information I needed a

systematic way to ensure I didn't forget

what I learned space repetition was the

answer the concept is stupidly simple to

not forget you must review the more you

review the less you'll forget that's it

really everything stored in your brain

lives on What's called the forgetting

curve it's like that girl you met

earlier her number her face her shoelace

it was all fresh in your mind when you

just met her wait a few days later and

the memory of it all becomes a bit more

hazy are you sure you met a girl she

gave you her number really are you sure

it wasn't a cardboard cutout of a girl

or maybe it was a girl dog or a tree in

the shape of a girl or maybe you just

imagined it all think man why would a

girl ever want to talk to you and dude

boobs boobs was literally her number how

stupid is that as you work yourself up

into a schizoph FRC frenzy the only way

in which you can assure you aren't going

crazy is by seeing her again seeing her

again resets the forgetting curve and

this time the memory is a bit more

robust it takes a little bit longer

before you again begin to forget descend

into delusional paranoia the beauty of

space repetition is that there's

software now that takes care of

everything for you give each package of

information a rating of how difficult it

was to remember and the software

calculates the space intervals for you

things that you remember well you study

at a less frequent Cadence things that

are harder to remember are pushed to you

more frequently there's some other

Nuance weaknesses to space repetition

I'll reserve for a future video but the

basic Essence is sound spoiler alert it

almost resulted in me failing medical

school in short these five simple steps

should get you 90% of the way there

first is to take ownership of what you

want to learn have a specific problem

you want to solve and when you do you'll

naturally learn the most efficient tools

needed to solve it second is the jigsaw

efficient learning meets understand

understanding the big picture first

before diving into the details be able

to explain the concept to a 5-year-old

before trying to explain it to a patient

with dementia third step is chunking and

understanding how to go beyond the

limits of your working memory fourth is

to regularly intermix Focus sessions

with diffused Mones of thinking to

solidify what you learn fifth is to

regularly revisit what you learn using

space repetition until it too feels like

the back of your hand there's a secret

six step actually but because it's so

important I've reserved an entire video

for itself when it's ready I'll link it

here at any rate I hope this video was

helpful if you want ideas and stories

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