How to Self Study Effectively: Powerful Strategies for Learning, Reading & Thinking

Summary

This video script emphasizes the importance of effective self-directed learning, highlighting Isaac Watts' insights on improving the mind. It outlines three foundational principles: intellectual humility, avoidance of dogmatism, and diligence. The script then delves into Watts' five methods of learning: observation, reading, conversation, lecture, and meditation, advocating for a balanced approach to these methods with a focus on reading and meditation for deep understanding and retention.

Takeaways

• 📚 Embrace self-directed learning to improve your mind and develop better reading, researching, and thinking skills.
• 🧠 The method of learning is as crucial as the subjects themselves; ineffective learning can lead to mere information acquisition.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Adopt intellectual humility to recognize and confront your own ignorance, which fuels the desire for learning.
• 🚫 Avoid dogmatism by not fixating on positions before thorough study and considering counterarguments.
• 💪 Diligence is essential for a self-learner; learning should be laborious yet delightful.
• 🔍 Isaac Watts' 'The Improvement of the Mind' offers insights on learning better and thinking more effectively.
• 🔑 Focus on five methods of learning: observation, reading, conversation, lecture, and meditation.
• 👀 Observation is the first mode of improvement, involving the conscious noting of occurrences and introspection.
• 📖 Reading is a refined form of learning, but choose books judiciously and engage in inspectional reading to determine their value.
• 🗣️ Conversation is vital for learning from others and avoiding intellectual isolation; build a diverse network for rich discussions.
• 🤔 Meditation and study are crucial for synthesizing knowledge; they allow for the development of personal understanding and ideas.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script?

The main theme of the video script is self-directed learning and the improvement of the mind, focusing on Isaac Watts' five methods or modes of improvement.

What are the three foundational principles for self-directed learning mentioned in the script?

The three foundational principles for self-directed learning are intellectual humility, avoidance of dogmatism, and the necessity of diligence.

What does Isaac Watts emphasize as the importance of observing occurrences in life?

Isaac Watts emphasizes that observation is important as it is the most direct method of learning, allowing us to notice and reflect on occurrences in life, including our own thoughts and feelings.

Why does the script suggest reading books with other people?

Reading books with other people is suggested because conversation can unlock aspects of the book that wouldn't be otherwise, and it helps in cross-referencing and gaining different perspectives on the subject.

What is 'inspectional reading' as recommended by Watts in the script?

Inspectional reading is the process of determining if a book is worth reading by looking at its table of contents, flipping through a few pages, and gauging its quality before committing to it.

How does the script describe the role of living instructors or tutors in learning?

Living instructors or tutors are described as lively and animated, which can help untangle difficult aspects of a subject. They can answer questions and explain doubts, making learning more engaging and effective.

What is the significance of conversation in improving one's mind according to the script?

Conversation is significant in improving the mind as it helps avoid developing awkwardness, allows learning from everyone, and prevents being confined to one's own perspective or echo chambers.

What does Watts suggest regarding the approach to studying difficult or complex subjects?

Watts suggests not to be frightened by difficulties but also not to jump into complex subjects without the necessary foundation. He advises gradual and regular steps to understand complex subjects.

Why does the script mention the importance of not studying too many things at once?

The script mentions that studying too many things at once can lead to a lack of focus and prevent deep learning. However, it also suggests that having more than one subject can be useful to avoid fatigue and maintain interest.

What is the final piece of advice given in the script regarding the pursuit of knowledge?

The final piece of advice is to not seek certainty in everything but to be content with probability, and to pursue the five methods of improvement jointly, with a focus on reading and study meditation.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Embracing Self-Directed Learning

The script introduces the importance of self-directed learning for personal growth, emphasizing the quality of learning methods over the subjects themselves. It highlights the need for effective learning strategies, critical reading, and reflective thinking. The video focuses on Isaac Watts' insights from 'The Improvement of the Mind,' discussing foundational principles like intellectual humility, avoidance of dogmatism, and diligence. These principles are essential for anyone aspiring to be a better learner and thinker.

05:02

🔍 The Power of Observation and Reading

This paragraph delves into Isaac Watts' first two methods of learning: observation and reading. Observation is described as a direct and continuous learning process that involves reflecting on one's surroundings and inner thoughts. Reading is presented as a refined way to learn from the matured thoughts of wise individuals. Watts advises being selective with reading material and engaging in inspectional reading to determine a book's value before committing time to it.

10:02

🤝 Enhancing Learning Through Conversation

The script discusses the third mode of improvement: conversation. It suggests learning from everyone, regardless of their profession, by engaging them in discussions about their area of expertise. The importance of avoiding echo chambers and the value of having diverse discussions are highlighted. Watts recommends building a mastermind group for mutual learning and improvement, emphasizing the benefits of shared perspectives.

15:03

🧠 The Importance of Study and Meditation

The fourth mode of improvement, study and meditation, is explored, emphasizing the need to synthesize and reflect on the information consumed. Watts argues that true wisdom comes from the exercise of reason and judgment on what is read, rather than just the act of reading itself. He advises against jumping into complex subjects without the necessary foundation and encourages gradual learning.

20:04

🛠 Balancing Multiple Subjects and Avoiding Single-Perspective Thinking

The script advises on the benefits of studying multiple subjects to avoid mental fatigue and the man with a hammer fallacy, which is letting one subject dominate one's perspective. It also touches on the importance of not seeking absolute certainty in all subjects, suggesting that probability is often sufficient. Watts recommends a balanced approach to learning, with a focus on reading and meditation.

25:05

🌟 Integrating the Five Methods of Improvement

The final paragraph wraps up the video by advocating for the integration of all five methods of improvement: observation, reading, conversation, lecture, and study/meditation. It stresses that while all methods are important, reading and study should be given more time. The video concludes by encouraging viewers to explore additional resources for effective reading and self-learning strategies.

Keywords

💡Self-directed learning

Self-directed learning refers to the ability of individuals to take control of their own learning processes. It is a key theme in the video, emphasizing the importance of taking initiative in one's education and personal growth. The script mentions that effective self-directed learning requires adopting a posture of intellectual humility, avoiding dogmatism, and being diligent. For instance, the video discusses how Isaac Watts, a theologian and logician, exemplified self-directed learning through his extensive work and his book 'The Improvement of the Mind,' which serves as a guide for enhancing one's learning capabilities.

💡Intellectual humility

Intellectual humility is the recognition and acknowledgment of one's own limitations in knowledge. The video underscores its importance in self-directed learning, suggesting that a person must be aware of how little they know to ignite a desire for learning. It is contrasted with ego and conceit, which can hinder learning by creating barriers to new information. The script quotes Watts, urging individuals to 'acquaint yourself with your own ignorance' to incite a drive for learning.

💡Dogmatism

Dogmatism in the context of the video refers to the rigid adherence to a particular position or belief without considering alternative viewpoints or evidence. The video warns against dogmatism, suggesting that it can impede one's ability to learn by closing off the mind to new ideas and perspectives. It encourages open-mindedness and critical thinking, as seen in the script's advice to avoid fixing oneself to a position before thoroughly studying a subject and considering counterarguments.

💡Diligence

Diligence is portrayed in the video as a necessary quality for a committed self-learner. It involves hard work and persistence in the pursuit of knowledge. The script mentions that learning should be 'laborious but delightful,' indicating that while the process of learning can be challenging, it should also be a source of joy and satisfaction. Watts' advice to 'be not so weak as to imagine that a life of learning is a life of laziness and ease' encapsulates the concept of diligence in learning.

💡Observation

Observation, as discussed in the video, is the first mode of improvement suggested by Watts. It involves actively noticing and reflecting upon occurrences in life and one's own thoughts. The video emphasizes that observation is a constant opportunity for learning, as we are always experiencing the world and our own mental states. It is highlighted as a direct method of learning from the environment and oneself, with the advice to write down observations and review them occasionally.

💡Reading

Reading is presented as a critical method of self-improvement in the video. It is described as a refined form of learning because books typically contain the matured thoughts of wise individuals. The script advises being selective with the books one reads and engaging in 'inspectional reading' to determine their value. It also suggests reading with others to unlock deeper understanding and cross-referencing distinct books on the same subject to gain a comprehensive view.

💡Meditation

In the video, meditation is used interchangeably with study and refers to the process of thinking deeply about what one has learned. It is described as the heart of learning because it involves synthesizing information and exercising one's own reason and judgment. The video stresses that mere consumption of information is not enough; true learning comes from reflecting on and contemplating the material, which helps in making ideas one's own.

💡Conversation

Conversation is highlighted as a mode of improvement where one can learn from others by engaging in discussions. The video advises avoiding echo chambers and seeking out diverse perspectives to enrich one's understanding. It also suggests building a 'mastermind' group of self-learners to foster mutual improvement through discussion and debate. The script warns against the 'contemptible scholar' who isolates themselves and misses out on the benefits of social interaction and diverse viewpoints.

💡Lectures

Lectures are mentioned as a lively and animated mode of instruction that can help clarify difficult aspects of a subject. The video suggests that live instruction can be more engaging than books and can provide immediate clarification of doubts and difficulties. It is noted that while books are a 'dumb teacher' that cannot answer questions, a living instructor can, making lectures a valuable method for learning complex subjects.

💡Mastermind group

A mastermind group, as discussed in the video, is a collective of individuals who come together to learn and improve. The concept is attributed to Benjamin Franklin, who started a group for mutual improvement. The video suggests that such a group can provide diverse perspectives and insights, helping members to avoid narrow-mindedness and enhance their learning through collaborative discussion and debate.

Highlights

The importance of learning how to learn, including reading, judging books, and reflecting on information.

Isaac Watts' influence as a theologian, logician, and author on improving the mind and learning.

The three foundational principles for self-directed learning: intellectual humility, avoidance of dogmatism, and diligence.

The significance of intellectual humility in igniting the ambition for learning and avoiding the barrier of ego.

Avoiding dogmatism to maintain open-mindedness and the ability to learn from various perspectives.

Diligence as a key to effective self-learning and the joy found in the process of studying.

Isaac Watts' five methods of improvement: observation, reading, conversation, lecture, and meditation.

The role of observation in learning from occurrences in life and introspection.

The value of reading and the practice of inspectional reading to determine a book's worth.

The benefits of reading books with others and cross-referencing ideas for deeper understanding.

The importance of marking and conversing with books to engage critically with the material.

The advantages of live instruction and lectures for untangling difficult aspects of a subject.

The benefits of engaging in conversation to learn from a diversity of perspectives and avoid echo chambers.

The recommendation to build a mastermind group for mutual learning and improvement.

The central role of study and meditation in synthesizing knowledge and forming original ideas.

The advice against focusing on complicated subjects without first establishing a foundational understanding.

The suggestion to not study too many things at once to maintain focus and depth of learning.

The importance of not letting a single subject dominate one's perspective, avoiding the 'man with a hammer' fallacy.

The advice to be content with probability in learning, accepting that absolute certainty is unattainable in many subjects.

The final principle of combining all five methods of improvement for a well-rounded learning experience, with a focus on reading and meditation.

Transcripts

if you have an insatiable appetite for

self-directed learning you want to grow

your mind you want to be a better reader

a better researcher a better thinker

then this video is for you see the

mattera of learning is just as important

as the subjects themselves if you don't

know how to learn well if you don't know

how to read and judge books and pass the

information well you don't know how to

reflect on things you don't know how to

doggedly develop skills and meditate on

what you're learning then you will be

relegated to a life of pure information

acquisition now there's someone called

Isaac Watts who knows a thing or two

about this as a prolific Theologian

logician and songwriter he wrote over

750 hymns as well as various guide books

on topics like geometry and logic and

philosophy his book on logic was used at

Oxford University at one point and his

more accessible book The Improvement of

the mind which was written as a

supplement to that IC book is a treasure

Trove of insight on how to learn better

how to think better and ultimately how

to improve your mind in this video we're

going to dive in to the key principles

Concepts and strategies that whats

recommends for those wanting to learn

better and to improve their mind now our

core focus is going to be on what wats

calls the five methods or five modes of

improvement these are five methods of

learning observation reading

conversation lecture so live instruction

and then study and meditation but before

we get to these let's look at three

foundational principles for

self-directed learning those are

intellectual humility avoidance of

dogmatism and the necessity of diligence

so to Be an Effective self-learner you

must adopt a posture of intellectual

humility you must purposely remind

yourself of how little you know your

Poverty of understanding is what's caus

it

and doing this will ignite your ambition

it will ignite your hunger and appetite

for learning quote from the book you

should therefore contrive and practice

some proper methods to acquaint yourself

with your own ignorance and to impress

your mind with a deep and painful sense

of the low and imperfect degrees of your

present knowledge that you may be

incited with labor and activity to

pursue after greater measures the

egotistical conceited person lacks this

intellectual humility and they suffer

because of it they lack Drive they lack

hunger and they are lazy as a result in

whats words remember this that if upon

some few superficial acquirements you

value exalt and swell yourself as though

you were a man of learning already you

are thereby building a most unpalatable

barrier against all Improvement you will

lie down and indulge idleness and rest

your self-content in the midst of deep

and shameful ignorance now ego is not

the only barrier to learning you must

also avoid dogmatism what says in the

book and I'm paraphrasing here that you

shouldn't fix yourself to a position

before you really studied it before

you've looked at the subject you've

looked at the counterarguments you've

looked at the landscape and you can see

things from all sides what a lot of

people do and what you and I have a

tendency to do as well because we're

humans

is we learn about something we believe

it's all correct and then we just become

dogmatic about it we think that we're

right and we can't be wrong and this

affects our ability to learn because we

get stuck or concreted in a position and

we basically shut down our learning and

observation faculties the dedicated

self-learner is not satisfied with

easily or quickly attained knowledge

because they know that Nuance exists

right Topics in fields must be studied

not just glanced at the dogmatist lets

ideas take dominion over himself and

finally the committed self-learner is

someone who is diligent someone who

labors but does so in Delight quote from

the book be not so weak as to imagine

that a life of learning is a life of

laziness and ease dare not give up

yourself to any of the Learned

professions unless you are resolved to

labor hard that study and can make it

your delight and the joy of your life a

life of learning should be laborious but

delightful if it's not at least somewhat

difficult if it's not at least somewhat

laborious then you're probably not

learning much but if it's not at all

delightful then you're probably learning

the wrong things you're not following

your curiosity and your interest now

with the foundation of humility the

avoidance of dogmatism and diligence let

us look at Isaac watt's five methods of

Improvement there are five emminent

means or methods whereby the mind is

improved by the knowledge of things

these are observation reading

instruction by lectures conversation and

meditation let's start with Improvement

by observation what says that

observation is the notice that we take

of all occurrences in human life whether

they are sensible or intellectual

whether relating to persons or things to

ourselves or others he places

observation as the first mode of

improvement because it's the most direct

that's what we do all the time we are

always observing the world around us

people places animals objects and we're

always observing ourselves and our own

inner workings our thoughts right the

effective

self-learner is the one who reflects on

these things most people don't most

people don't engage in any such

reflection or introspection and they

don't profit from their observations

even if those observations are fleeting

and so one way we can improve our mind

is simply to observe it to observe our

own inner thoughts as what says let the

enlargement of your knowledge be one

constant View and design in life since

there's no place no transactions

occurrences or engagements in life which

exclude us from this method of improving

the mind when we are alone even in

darkness and silence we may converse

with our own Hearts observe the working

of our own spirits and reflect upon the

inwards Motions of our own passions and

some of the latest occurrences in life

we may acquaint ourselves with the

powers and properties the Tendencies and

inclinations both of body and spirit and

gain a more intimate knowledge of

ourselves and of course we can observe

human nature as well when we are in

company we may discover something more

of human nature of human passions and

folies and of human Affairs vices and

virtues by conversing with Mankind and

observing their conduct every moment is

a moment that you can use to improve

your own mind seek lessons and All That

You observe and as whats recommends

write them down and take review

occasionally the second mode of

improvement is reading I have made a

video on reading advice that I wish

someone had told me earlier so if you

want to go deeper on this specific mode

of improvement then check that out but

there are some interesting tips and

principles that wats talks about in this

book when it comes to reading in fact

his chapter on reading or section on

reading is actually quite large there's

a lot in it and there's too much to go

through in this video so I encourage you

to read the book if you want to learn

more about that one of the first things

he points out is that books are a very

useful form of improvement and learning

because they are highly refined in a way

that conversations with people lectures

observation is not he points out in more

words that I'm about to say is that

books that have stood the test of time

are usually written by wise people not

only that they are the matured and

refined thoughts of such wise people

books take a lot of effort to write they

are a slow medium they are edited right

in a way where me talking to you or us

having a conversation is not it's not as

high signal as a Bookers and so you

should read books he does say however

that you should be judicious about the

books that you read there are too many

books out there many of them aren't that

good and others are irrelevant to you

and not useful given your goals so he's

basically saying don't just read

everything don't just read anything

exercise judgment be smart about it one

of the key strategies he recommends is

to engage in inspectional Reading if

you've read how to read a book by morm

Adler you'll know what this is and

essentially inspectional reading is to

figure out if something is worth reading

in the first place you don't need to do

this with every book but if you're not

sure whether it's going to be good then

it's worth doing essentially you open a

book you look at the table of contents

perhaps you kind of get a get an idea of

like what it's about whether it's

relevant to you you might flip through

to a few pages try and gauge the quality

of the book and then decide if you want

to commit to it I actually did exactly

that with this book by the way uh the

other day I was standing up looking at

my bookshelf this title stuck out to me

and I was like all right let's uh

haven't read this yet looked at the

table of contents it was exactly what I

wanted to read and wanted to learn about

and so I just started diving in it was

really good also on that note if the

book clearly is not good or useful to

you and you don't enjoy it then stop

reading as what says life is too short

and time is too precious to read every

new book quite over in order to find

that it is not worth the reading one

thing he recommends is to read books

with other people with friends

conversation he points out will unlock

aspects of the book that wouldn't be

unlocked otherwise and one interesting

idea he puts forth is that you should

read distinct books on the same subject

and then cross reference with each other

so perhaps you and two other people want

to learn about psychology or mathematics

or some specific subject mathematics

isn't very specific neither psychology

you get the idea you want to learn about

a subject maybe you find a book each on

that subject and you go away and read

them and then come to discuss it and

you'll each have slight differences or

maybe significant differences in what

you've learned another thing that wats

recommends with reading is to not get

caught up in the exciting and novel you

know when you're reading something new

or you're learning about a new subject

especially if it's a subject that's not

like hard science you can become

convinced by things just because they're

new to you even if they're not well

argued right and so again it goes back

to that avoidance of dogmatism when

you're reading something new for the

first time you're learning about a new

subject you should be approaching it not

necessarily from position of skepticism

but just be being wary of that tendency

that you have to get caught up in it all

and to take it at face value instead of

thinking critically about what you're

reading he stresses the importance of

marking your books so correcting them

conversing with them if you come across

text that you like then Mark then

highlight it mention something in the

sidew like I love the sentence WR really

well if you come across something you

dislike or you think could be ridden

better then point that out to your

yourself argue with your books converse

with them doing this properly takes a

lot of time the way wats is talking

about it but it's worth it quote

remember that one book read over in this

manner with all this laborious

meditation will tend more to enrich your

understanding than the skimming over the

surface of 20 authors this is advice I

shared in my other video on reading

which is that you get more by going

through books again and again and again

again and understanding them deeply than

spreading yourself across a number of

books and only just touching the surface

of them one of the common themes which

relates to all this is the importance of

reflection particularly with reading

right as he says as a man may be eating

all day and for want of digestion is

never nourished so these endless readers

May cram themselves in vain with

intellectual food and without real

Improvement of their minds for want of

digesting it by proper Reflections now

the third model Improvement is living

instructors tutors you know lectures

we're not going to spend too much time

on this uh and neither does what

actually in the book he spends more time

on what you should be doing as a

lecturer or as a teacher near the end of

the book but that's beyond the scope of

this video one of the things he points

out about this mode of improvement is

that lecture is Lively it's animated in

a way that a book isn't and because of

this it can not only be more engaging

but it can help you untangle difficult

aspects of a subject that's why a lot of

people find it easier to learn something

like maths or science from videos on KH

Academy than they do textbooks because

having someone explain the intricacies

of it in a way the textbook might not or

might not do as effectively is very

helpful and they do seem to be subjects

that almost require a interaction with

someone else a tutor as what says there

is scarce any science so safely and so

speedily learned even by the most

noblest genius in the best books without

a

books are a sort of dumb teacher they

point out the way to learning but if we

labor under any doubt or mistake they

cannot answer sudden questions or

explain present doubts and difficulties

this is properly the work of a living

instructor essentially what he's saying

is that you can spend you can waste a

lot of time going in the wrong direction

if you have no one to challenge your

thinking and look at what you're

learning the fourth mode of improvement

is conversation and to introduce this

mode of improvement he kind of talks

about the contemptible scholar this idea

of the contemptible scholar he says that

the person who just reads books and just

observes things you know there's sort of

this like hermit and the hermit rusts

and develops an awkwardness right

engaging in conversation living in the

real world helps you avoid this it helps

prevent it and hopefully you're not this

person but you will know one or you will

know of one the person who does spend

all their time at home

books you know never goes out and they

do develop the sense of awkwardness you

don't want to be that person and one way

to avoid being that person is to engage

in conversation not only is it useful to

avoid being awkward it's useful for

improving your mind and there's a few

key points here which I want to point

out the first point is that you can

learn something from everyone what says

if you happen to be in company with a

merchant or sailor a farmer or a

mechanic a milkmaid or a spinster lead

them into a discourse of the m matters

of their own profession for everyone

knows or should know his own business

best in this sense a common mechanic is

wiser than a philosopher by this means

you may gain some improvement and

knowledge from everyone you meet there's

a skill to this is a skill to conversing

with people and asking the right

questions to get deep into what they

know you have to go beyond the small

talk and follow up and find those paths

the second point he makes is to avoid

Echo Chambers confine yourself not

always to one sort of company or to

persons of the same party or opinion

either in matters of learning religion

or the Civil Life lest if you should

happen to be nursed up or educated an

early mistake you should be confirmed

and established in the same mistake by

conversing only with persons of the same

sentiments now people don't do this

because they don't like hearing opinions

that are contrary to their own and

here's what wats has to say about that

be not frightened nor provoked at

opinions different from your own some

persons are so confident they are in the

right that they will not come within the

hearing of any Notions but their own

they Canon out to themselves a little

province in the intellectual world where

they fancy the light shines and all the

rest is Darkness one of his

recommendations to improve at

conversation is to actually build your

own Mastermind build your own group of

people who are also self-learners who

are also autodidacts who want to get

better want to improve prove their mind

he says it is of considerable Advantage

when we are pursuing any difficult point

of knowledge to have a society of

ingenious correspondence at hand for

Every Man Has Something of a different

genius in a various Turn of Mind whereby

the subject propos will be shown in all

its lights it will be represented in all

its forms and every side of it be turned

to view that a just judgment may be

framed iron sharpens iron when you're

around other people who are also

learning similar things to you or not

you get this Fe back that you don't get

when you're by yourself this is also

what Benjamin Franklin did he set up a

group of started with 12 people and it

was a society or Community essentially

of mutual Improvement as he called it

they debated questions of morals

politics philosophy business you name it

so if you don't have something like this

consider whether you can set one up

doesn't have to be in person can be

online can be on Zoom but it's something

that's worth doing now the final method

of improvement which he spends a lot of

time on and we're going to spend some

time on is that of study and meditation

he uses these terms into changeably when

he talks about meditation he really

means study and study as whats defines

it as the bringing together of it all

the reflection the understanding the

thinking right another way to put it

would be the synthesis it's very

important it is the heart of learning

and that is because consuming

information alone is is not enough

memory is not enough what says as you

are not to fancy yourself a learned man

because you were dressed with a really

wet so neither must you imagine that

large and laborious reading and a strong

memory can denominate you truly wise you

can't become wise by just reading alone

is what he's saying why because it is

meditation and studious thought it is

the exercise of your own reason and

judgment upon all you read that gives

Good Sense even to the best genius and

affords your understanding the truest

Improvement he goes on mere lectures

reading and conversation without

thinking are not sufficient to make a

man of knowledge and wisdom it is our

own thought and reflection study and

meditation must attend all the other

methods of improvement and perfect them

you must think you must reflect this is

how we make ideas our own by the way

when you read an idea in the book like

I've been doing with this video I'm just

ering it to you right but when you think

through things and when you study and

you meditate you can form your own

opinions you can form your own synthesis

and come up with what seem like original

unique ideas even though they are built

upon a foundation of other ideas one

thing he says is to not spend time on

the complicated in particular before

you've built the foundation essentially

that you shouldn't try and learn

something that you don't know about or

you don't have the necessary

prerequisites for which sounds obvious

but like a lot of people do it including

myself I get attracted to the

complicated like complex things and I'm

like I can learn this and it's like bro

you haven't like you don't even know how

to do algebra at this level and this is

like five levels beyond that so you need

to learn this first if you want to do

that you can't just like jump all the

way to there it's not how it works he

says let not young students apply

themselves to search out deep dark and

obstru matters far above their reach or

spend their labor in any peculiar

subjects for which they have not the

advantages of necessary anticipant

learning or books or

observations

four this will confound rather than

enlight the understanding and create an

aversion to Future diligence and perhaps

by despair May forbid the pursuit of

that subject forever afterwards if you

go into the complicated subject to early

without the foundation you probably

won't like it you'll feel stupid and you

may not re visit it in the future now at

the same time you shouldn't trick

yourself into thinking that just because

something is difficult to learn just

because a subject seems tricky that it's

insurmountable this is the other end of

the spectrum right he says nor let any

student on the other hand fright himself

at every turn with insurmountable

difficulties nor imagine that the truth

is wrapped up in impenetrable Darkness

these are formidable specters which the

understanding raises sometimes to flat

matter its own laziness we rationalize

our way out of learning subjects because

we just want that homeostasis we want to

be lazy we don't want to put in the

effort and so we say to ourselves it's

too hard it's impossible for me to learn

how do you learn these things these

complex subjects here's what watt says

those things which in a remote and

Confused view seem very obscure and

perplexed may be approached by gentle

and regular steps and may then unfold

and explain themselves at large to the

eye the hardest problems in geometry and

the most intricate schemes or diagrams

may be explicated and understood step by

step every great mathematici Bears a

constant witness to this observation the

next two tips or principles are very

useful uh the first is that you should

not study too many things at once I've

talked about this a bunch on the channel

don't need to go into it too much but

obviously if you have too many subjects

on the go then you know you're not going

to be able to focus very well you're not

going to be able to dedicate the time

necessary to really make progress

however

Isaac Watts doesn't recommend that you

only spend time on one subject he

actually says that having more than one

subject on the go is useful for

productivity useful for study he says

where two or three Sciences are pursued

at the same time if one of them be dry

abstracted and unpleasant say logic

metaphysics law languages let another be

more entertaining and agreeable to

secure the mind from weariness and

aversion to study what he's basically

saying is that if you just have one

subject like let's say you're

learning logic right and you can do

maybe two hours of that in a day and by

those two hours you just like I'm done

with this I'm it's so boring it's so dry

I know it's important for me to learn

it's somewhat interesting but I can't do

it from more than 2 hours a day well if

that's all you're learning then that's

all you're going to be able to do in a

day but if you have other subject you're

on the go something that's more

interesting to you maybe you're learning

to make music or maybe you're you know

learning to write poetry or something

then you can switch to that when you

fatigue of the harder subject or the

more boring subject this is the power of

deviation or productive procrastination

something Noah Ryan and I talked about

in our recent interview that you have a

thing or project on the go that you want

to procrastinate on and you let yourself

procrastinate on so you can do other

productive things over here to move

yourself forward another thing he points

out is what's commonly known as the man

with a hammer fallacy or at least a

variation of it which is to a man with a

hammer everything looks like a nail what

he says is that you shouldn't let a

single subject or topical area Prevail

over your mind quote as to give a

sovereign tincture to all your other

studies and discolor all your ideas like

a person in join us who spreads a yellow

scene with his eyes over all the objects

which he meets and he uses example of a

man he says who had particular skill in

music and much devoted to that subject

who found a great resemblance of the

Athan doctrine of the trinity in every

single note and so he's he's applying

this like thing he learns music to this

subject of Theology and it doesn't

necessarily connect but because he views

everything through the lens of music

that's how he he sees things and he's

like you shouldn't do that because each

subject like sits on its own there are

references and they cross over and

there's interactions between them of

course but if you're the person who just

lets the one subject takes sovereignty

over your mind then it's going to make

you stupid this is the man with the

hammer fallacy the final piece of advice

that I want to share is to not seek

certainty in everything but be content

with probability do not expect to arrive

at C certainty in every subject which

you pursue there are aund things wherein

we Mortals in this dark and imperfect

state must be content with probability

where our best light and reasonings will

reach no further other than a few

subjects there's no way you can reach

certainty in most things you learn if

you're studying psychology good luck

because there's just so much nonsense

and noise and like uncertainty in that

field same with history same with

philosophy and so you need to be content

with probability you need to get to a

point where you're like okay I'm pretty

sure this is what it means but I'm never

going to be one + 1 = 2 certain about it

and for me to try is probably not a

useful thing to do all right so to wrap

this up I want to share one final

principle which really brings it all

together and that is that you should not

just focus on one method of improvement

you should bring them all together for

your benefit if you only read and listen

then you will have as what says a mere

historical knowledge of learning and

only be able to tell what others have

known or said on the subject if you only

Converse but you don't read or observe

or study you will gain a slight and

superficial knowledge which will be in

danger of Vanishing with the voice of

the speaker and if you confine yourself

to yourself and you only observe and

don't do anything else then you will be

as Isaac what says in danger of a narrow

Spirit a vain conceit of yourself and an

unreasonable contempt of others and you

will have a very limited and imperfect

view of the knowledge of things and you

will sadom learn how to make that

knowledge useful these five methods of

improvement we've looked at should be

pursued jointly however whats does say

that you should spend more time in

reading and study meditation than the

others so he does place a little bit

more importance on those two methods of

improvement so that is it for this video

hope you found it use useful uh if you

want to learn more about how to read

effectively you want to learn the advice

that I wish someone had told me earlier

about reading and self-learning then

check out this video here I talk about

14 or 15 tips that I don't think are

very common they're not like basic tips

uh but they've helped me a lot with

developing my reading plan and system

thanks for watching see you next time