How I tricked my brain to be addicted to studying 🧠

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares transformative techniques that improved their relationship with studying. They emphasize the importance of understanding the 'why' behind learning a subject, such as calculus, by connecting it to future benefits and real-world applications. The speaker also advocates for seeing the 'big picture' by understanding how individual topics fit into the broader curriculum. Lastly, they highlight the power of teaching others as a means to consolidate knowledge and identify gaps in understanding, suggesting methods like explaining concepts to friends or to an imaginary audience.

Takeaways

• 🎓 **Understanding 'Why'**: Before starting to study, ask why you are studying the subject and how it can benefit your future.
• 🌟 **Impact on the World**: Consider how the knowledge you gain can solve real-world problems and have a positive impact.
• 🔗 **Connecting to Interests**: Find personal connections between the subject and your interests to increase motivation.
• 📚 **Seeing the Bigger Picture**: Recognize where each topic fits within the broader context of the course or field of study.
• 🗺️ **Timeline of Learning**: Visualize the progression of topics in a course as a timeline to understand the flow and connection of concepts.
• 🤔 **Teaching Others**: Teaching or explaining concepts to others simplifies and consolidates your understanding, reinforcing the material.
• 👥 **Study Groups**: Collaborate with friends to explain and test each other on concepts, enhancing mutual understanding.
• 🦆 **The Rubber Duck Method**: Pretend to teach an inanimate object to clarify your thoughts and identify gaps in your knowledge.
• 📈 **Becoming a Tutor**: As you gain proficiency, consider tutoring others to solidify your own knowledge and help others learn.
• 🎥 **Create Content**: Making videos or writing blog posts can help reinforce your learning and provide a platform to share knowledge.

Q & A

What is the first technique Gary suggests to improve one's relationship with studying?

The first technique Gary suggests is to ask oneself why they are studying a particular subject, breaking it down to understand how the knowledge can benefit their future.

How does Gary recommend connecting the study of calculus to real-world problems?

Gary recommends connecting the study of calculus to real-world problems by understanding its crucial role in fields like medicine for understanding rates of infection or in environmental science for modeling climate change.

What personal connection does Gary make with the subject of calculus?

Gary makes a personal connection with calculus by relating it to his interest in technology, image recognition, and his future career aspirations in those fields.

What does Gary mean by 'seeing the bigger picture' in the context of studying?

Gary means understanding where each topic fits within the overall curriculum or subject matter, like recognizing the progression from basic to complex topics in a course, which helps in making sense of the learning material.

Why is it beneficial to teach others what you have learned, according to Gary?

Teaching others forces you to simplify and consolidate your thoughts, which reinforces concepts and helps you recognize knowledge gaps, as you try to explain them to someone else.

How does Gary suggest finding the 'why' behind studying a subject?

Gary suggests finding the 'why' by asking how the knowledge can benefit one's future, solve real-world problems, and connect to personal interests or passions.

What is Gary's advice for students who find a subject like calculus boring?

Gary advises students to find a personal connection to the subject, see the bigger picture of how it fits into their overall learning journey, and teach it to others to reinforce understanding.

How does Gary use the technique of 'seeing the bigger picture' in his work?

Gary uses the technique of 'seeing the bigger picture' at work to understand the overall knowledge flow in an organization, which helps him identify knowledge gaps and areas to learn more effectively.

What is the third technique Gary shares for improving one's relationship with studying?

The third technique Gary shares is teaching others, which helps in simplifying thoughts, consolidating knowledge, and identifying knowledge gaps.

How does Gary recommend incorporating the technique of teaching others into one's study routine?

Gary recommends incorporating teaching others by studying with friends, explaining concepts to each other, pretending to teach an imaginary person (like a rubber duck), or becoming an actual tutor or creating educational content.

What does Gary suggest doing if you find it challenging to teach someone else?

If you find it challenging to teach someone else, Gary suggests starting by explaining concepts to an imaginary person or object, which can help clarify your understanding and prepare you to teach real people.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Transforming Study Habits with Powerful Techniques

The speaker shares their journey from being a procrastinator to discovering techniques that transformed their relationship with studying. They emphasize the importance of understanding the 'why' behind studying a subject, such as calculus, by connecting it to future benefits, real-world problem-solving, and personal interests. The speaker also highlights the significance of seeing the bigger picture of a subject by understanding its progression and how it fits into a broader context, akin to knowing the destination and the route on a map.

05:02

🔍 Seeing the Bigger Picture and Teaching Others

The speaker discusses the technique of 'seeing the bigger picture' as a way to enhance learning, not just in academics but also in professional settings. They suggest creating a timeline to understand the flow and progression of a subject, which helps in identifying knowledge gaps. The paragraph also introduces the powerful method of teaching others as a means to consolidate one's understanding and identify areas of weakness. The speaker shares personal experiences, including the use of the 'rubber duck' technique, where one explains concepts to an inanimate object to solidify their own grasp of the material.

Keywords

💡Procrastination

Procrastination refers to the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions. In the context of the video, it is initially mentioned as a challenge the speaker used to face when it came to studying. The speaker used to prefer playing with friends or playing hockey over studying, highlighting procrastination as a barrier to effective learning. However, the video goes on to discuss techniques that helped the speaker overcome this issue, making it a central theme in the narrative of personal development and learning improvement.

💡Techniques

Techniques in this script refer to methods or strategies used to improve a skill or process. The video focuses on 'powerful techniques' that the speaker has learned over the years to transform their relationship with studying. These techniques are presented as solutions to common study challenges, such as procrastination and lack of motivation, and are central to the video's message of enhancing learning efficiency and engagement.

💡Calculus

Calculus is a branch of mathematics that studies how things change. In the video, calculus is used as an example of a subject that the speaker had to learn as a university student studying engineering. It is presented as a foundational subject that, despite being challenging, is essential for various fields, including engineering, physics, and computer science. The speaker uses calculus to illustrate the importance of understanding the relevance and application of what one is studying.

💡Impact

Impact in the video script refers to the effect or influence that one's actions or learning can have on the world. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding how learning a subject like calculus can have real-world applications, such as in medicine or environmental science, which can lead to positive impacts. This concept is used to motivate the viewer to see the broader significance of their studies beyond just passing exams.

💡Personal Connection

A personal connection is a link or relevance that one feels towards a subject or material. The video discusses the importance of finding a personal connection to the material being studied, as it can significantly increase motivation and interest. The speaker gives an example of how they connected calculus to their interest in technology and image recognition, which helped them feel more invested in learning the subject.

💡Bigger Picture

The bigger picture in the context of the video refers to understanding the overall context, progression, or timeline of a subject or course of study. The speaker suggests that recognizing where each topic fits within the broader scope of a course can help in seeing the relevance and purpose of individual topics, which in turn can enhance engagement and motivation to learn.

💡Teaching Others

Teaching others is presented in the video as a powerful technique for learning and reinforcing one's own understanding of a subject. By attempting to explain concepts to others, the speaker found that they had to simplify and consolidate their thoughts, which helped in solidifying their own knowledge. Additionally, teaching others can reveal gaps in one's own understanding, prompting further study and learning.

💡Consolidating

Consolidating, in the video, refers to the process of organizing and simplifying information to make it more coherent and understandable. This is particularly highlighted as a benefit when teaching others, as it forces the teacher to clarify their thoughts and deepen their understanding of the subject matter. The speaker uses this term to emphasize the importance of being able to break down complex ideas into more digestible forms.

💡Knowledge Gaps

Knowledge gaps are areas where an individual lacks understanding or information. The video script uses this term to describe the gaps in understanding that the speaker discovered while trying to teach others. Recognizing these gaps is portrayed as a positive step, as it motivates the individual to seek out more information and deepen their learning.

💡Engagement

Engagement in the video refers to the level of interest and involvement one has in a learning process. The speaker suggests that understanding the bigger picture and finding personal connections to the material can significantly increase engagement with the subject matter. Higher engagement is linked to better learning outcomes and a more enjoyable study experience.

Highlights

Gary discusses overcoming procrastination and distraction to focus on studying.

Shares personal transformation in attitude towards studying.

Emphasizes the importance of understanding 'why' you are studying a subject.

Advises to consider how knowledge can benefit your future.

Suggests relating studies to real-world problems for motivation.

Recommends finding a personal connection to the subject matter.

Explains the significance of seeing the bigger picture in education.

Advocates for understanding the timeline and progression of a subject.

Uses the analogy of a journey with a clear destination for learning.

Encourages seeking the bigger picture even in professional settings.

Introduces the technique of teaching others as a learning strategy.

Describes how teaching simplifies and consolidates your understanding.

Mentions the value of identifying knowledge gaps through teaching.

Suggests practical ways to incorporate teaching into your study routine.

Recommends pretending to teach an imaginary student or 'rubber duck'.

Advises becoming an actual tutor to reinforce your knowledge.

Encourages creating content like videos or blog posts for learning.

Reflects on how creating the video itself reinforced learning.

Transcripts

[Music]

Gary go study

[Music]

okay why is everything so much more

interesting when I have the study

let's talk about this back in the day I

used to be a procrastinator used to get

distracted when it comes to studying all

I wanted to do was go play with my

friends or play hockey and studying was

the last thing on my mind until I

learned these few powerful techniques

over the course of the years that have

really transformed my relationship with

studying Al together and these

techniques have really really helped me

and I was just studying the other day

and I realized that damn I wonder if

other people know about this so here I

am thinking about sharing this with you

and I hope it's useful to you let's just

Dive Right into them let's assume I'm a

university student who is studying

engineering so I have to learn calculus

because that's one of those forced to

take classes in University the first

technique before I even open my calculus

textbook is to ask myself why why am I

even even studying this now that's a

very difficult question to answer right

so let's break it down even further so

the first question to ask yourself is

how can this knowledge benefit my future

it's not just about passing the class

right now but if you think about it me

learning calculus right now as a

university student will actually open a

lot of doors for me not just in

University when it comes to being able

to take other classes but if I ever want

to pursue a career in engineering

physics computer science maybe go into

data science maybe create my own AI

model I do need fundamental knowledge of

calculus to be able to do all that so if

I look at it that way learning this

subject right now is actually going to

help me in the future the next question

is what real world problems can they

solve now this question is very useful

for someone like me because I care a lot

about impact I care a lot about what I'm

doing and the impact it has to the world

so when I answered this question it

actually makes me feel like what I'm

learning is useful to not just me but to

the world so in the example of calculus

it's crucial in fields like medicine to

understand rates of infection or

environmental sence maybe to model

things like climate change just very

vague things that actually end up doing

pretty good stuff to the world so me

learning this can allow me to have that

impact one day in the future final

question how does this subject connect

to my interest and my passion so in my

case calculus that's really hard to

answer but I do like technology I do

like things like image recognition and

want to go pursue a career in those type

of fields and to be able to do so I need

to know calculus so there you have it a

personal connection when I tend to find

personal connection to a material it

makes me way more motivated to study it

because I feel feel like there's a

meaning behind this I'm not just

studying it to get an A in an exam but

I'm studying this to get knowledge about

a specific field that will let me get

knowledge about something that I'm

actually interested in especially if the

current subject is slightly boring like

calculus mostly is once you found your

why it's time to look at the bigger

picture see when I started to learn

programming I had to learn data

structures and algorithms it's a topic

in programming and in data structures I

had to learn different type of arrays

and that was so dry and boring but

everything clicked once I understood

where arrays fit in the bigger picture

think of your subject as a

timeline you have the beginning the

middle and the end usually lecture notes

and textbooks or any course that you

take tend to show you the timeline of

what you're going to learn in this

course right at the start use this to

recognize where each topic you learn

fits in the bigger story for examp

example in data structures course you

start with basic concepts like arrays

link list and then you move on to more

complex structures like trees and graphs

and then once you know those basic

things you then move on to more complex

topics like algorithms once you

understand this progression it lets you

see how different pieces of the puzzle

will fit in the bigger picture it's kind

of like knowing your final destination

and seeing the map of how you're going

to get there for example if I told you

to leave your house and go to the bus

stop Downs test and then I tell you to

go to bus stop number two next to it you

will be lost cuz you will be like why am

I even going to that bus stop instead if

I tell you okay you're supposed to go to

the Lululemon store at 2: p.m. to get

there first go to this bus stop a after

you go to bus stop a go to bus stop B

and then you will end up in Lululemon

store that makes life so much easier

because then you're not so lost anymore

you kind of know what every step of your

journey is and what the fin know

destination is once you know your

destination these small parts start to

make more sense and once things make

more sense you get more engaged and

motivated to continue learning about

them more seeing the bigger picture is

actually not just limited to academic

subjects so I know the examples I give

are more about University students or

like just people learning new subjects

but I use this technique even at work

especially in bigger organizations where

you just have a lot of different things

to learn and there's just so much

knowledge flowing around like how do you

understand everything that's where

seeing the bigger picture actually comes

handy because once you see the bigger

picture you can narrow down and see what

you don't know and start to learn and

pick up those knowledge gaps so the next

time you start to learn a new subject of

skill look for the bigger picture look

for the main timeline what is this

subject or what is this course actually

going to be about spend like the first

10 minutes of starting out just drawing

out this timeline and even if those

parts seem confusing you don't even know

what they mean that's a good thing

because now you know what you don't know

and that's the first step solved now

that you found your why and you know

that you have to see the bigger picture

it's time for the third technique which

is teaching others this technique was

actually so so powerful for me and it

really helped me go to the next step

because I realized two things first when

I decided to teach someone else I

actually had to simplify my thoughts

and consolidate them in a way that is

easily understandable by somebody else

especially those who have less knowledge

about a subject than you and that whole

process of consolidating simplifying

things helped reinforce these Concepts

and ideologies in me and just made it so

much easier for me to remember them in

the long term and number two it also

helped me recognized what knowledge gaps

I had because as I tried to explain

something to someone else and they would

ask me me questions about what they

didn't understand and sometimes I

wouldn't have the answer to those

questions so then I would realize that

hm there's still quite a bit I don't

know and that would make me go back read

up more so that I can explain it to

somebody else but it's very easy for me

to sit here and say okay just going and

teach somebody else but the truth is how

do you actually incorporate this

technique into your everyday study

routine the first way and the easiest

way is to find friends and teach them

you can study with friends and explain

different concepts or topics to each

other and test each other that's a great

way or something else that really really

worked for me was I used to pretend like

I have a TT in my room when I'm sitting

alone and just try to explain Concepts

to this random thing person or in

programming what we call a rubber duck

so just try and explain something to

somebody else and pretend like they have

no knowledge about the topic and as you

explain you'll really start to

understand that concept A lot better

once you end up being good enough in the

topic I highly recommend becoming an

actual tutor to real people around you

who might not be as knowledgeable about

that subject but they want to learn more

that's another great way you could also

make videos or blog posts about certain

topics that interest you or that you

want to learn more about them something

like what I'm doing right now or that

I've done on this channel making this

video actually helped me reinforce all

these Concepts and remember them all

over again and I also ended up learning

new things while researching and trying

to keep all this knowledge more

comprehensible for all of you but there

you have it some powerful strategies

that really really help me improve my

relationship with studying learning and

have helped me helping me and will

continue to help me in the future as

well hope you like it and I will see you

in the next one