Learn more than 99% of software engineers with just two tools

Summary

The speaker shares their academic journey, highlighting a transformative learning strategy that led to a first-class degree in construction finance and a successful pivot into tech. They emphasize the Ali Abdul method, which involves creating a question-and-answer database from textbooks and using the Anki app for spaced repetition to retain information. The speaker also suggests using Obsidian for note-taking and emphasizes the importance of learning business knowledge alongside technical skills, as well as keeping up with industry news and filling knowledge gaps within your team.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker initially struggled in college but eventually excelled in a construction finance degree, achieving a first-class degree with honors.
• 🚀 The Ali Abdul method was instrumental in the speaker's academic success, which involved using mind maps and a question-and-answer approach to learning.
• 📚 A friend's strategy of writing down questions and answers from textbooks in a Word document and using the Anki app for spaced repetition was adopted and adapted by the speaker.
• 🔗 The speaker prefers using Obsidian for note-taking, which allows for linking notes together and visualizing the connections between different pieces of information.
• 📈 The speaker applied the learning strategy to software engineering by breaking down an in-depth book into questions and answers, and supplementing with code snippets or images.
• 🏢 In addition to technical skills, the speaker emphasizes the importance of learning business knowledge specific to one's company to stand out in the workplace.
• 🌟 To get ahead, the speaker suggests learning from team members' strengths, finding knowledge gaps in the team, and staying updated with tech news.
• 👥 Networking and mentorship are key, as the speaker recommends learning from colleagues who excel in specific areas and taking on tasks that fill gaps in team knowledge.
• 💡 The speaker created a separate video detailing a workflow for problem-solving, which is a crucial skill in a software engineer's job.
• 📺 Consuming relevant YouTube content helped the speaker in their career transition and suggests others do the same to stay informed about the language and communication of software engineers.

Q & A

What was the speaker's academic performance in college?

The speaker received two D's and two 's in college, studying physics, maths, English, and computer science.

How did the speaker transition into a construction finance degree?

The speaker managed to get into a university through clearing to study a construction finance degree.

What was the speaker's achievement at the end of the construction finance degree?

The speaker graduated with a first-class degree with honors.

What method did the speaker use to improve their learning strategy?

The speaker used the Ali Abdul method, which involves creating a collection of questions and answers from textbooks and using the Anki app for spaced repetition.

What note-taking application does the speaker prefer over Word documents?

The speaker prefers Obsidian, a note-taking app that links notes together and visually represents the connections between them.

How does the speaker apply their learning strategy to software engineering?

The speaker breaks down in-depth books into questions and answers, supplements them with images or code, and uses Anki for long-term retention of the knowledge.

What additional knowledge does the speaker suggest learning for someone in a software engineering role?

The speaker suggests learning the business knowledge of the company and staying ahead of how the business works.

What are the three points the speaker recommends to stand out in a team?

Learn from the best on the team, find knowledge gaps in the team, and keep up to date with tech news.

How did consuming YouTube content help the speaker in their career transition?

It helped the speaker understand the language and communication style of software engineers, making their transition from construction to tech smoother.

What is the importance of staying updated with tech news?

Staying updated with tech news helps in being aware of new tools and technologies that can be beneficial in one's work and staying ahead of the curve in the industry.

How does the speaker approach problem-solving in their work?

The speaker has a specific workflow for problem-solving, which is not language-specific and can apply to everyone. They made a separate video explaining this workflow.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 From Academic Struggles to First-Class Success

The speaker shares their journey from college, where they had poor grades in physics, maths, English, and computer science, to achieving a first-class degree with honors in construction finance at university. They explain how they managed to pivot into tech within three months and became adept at learning new strategies. The speaker credits the Ali Abdul method for their academic turnaround and success in the tech field. They discuss the importance of effective learning strategies, such as creating question-and-answer pairs from textbooks and using spaced repetition software like Anki for long-term retention. The speaker also emphasizes the value of using a note-taking app like Obsidian to link notes and understand the connections between different topics.

05:01

🚀 Accelerating Your Career with Learning Strategies

The speaker delves into the practical application of their learning strategies for software engineering and business knowledge. They suggest breaking down in-depth books into Q&A format and supplementing with code or images for better understanding. The speaker also highlights the importance of learning business knowledge to stand out in the tech industry. They recommend learning from team members' strengths, identifying knowledge gaps within the team, and staying updated with tech news. The speaker shares tips on how to consume YouTube content and utilize tools like GitHub to stay ahead of the curve. They conclude with advice on problem-solving skills and direct the audience to another video for a language-agnostic problem-solving workflow.

Keywords

💡academic performance

Academic performance refers to how well a student does in their studies, typically measured by grades and overall understanding of the subject matter. In the video, the speaker initially struggled with their academic performance, achieving two D's and two 's in college. However, they managed to turn things around and obtained a first-class degree with honors in their university education, indicating a significant improvement in their academic performance.

💡clearing

Clearing is a process in which students can secure a place at a university after the initial application window has closed, often used for those who did not meet the conditions of their firm or insurance choices. In the context of the video, the speaker used the clearing process to gain admission to a university to study construction finance, which marked a turning point in their academic journey.

💡pivot

To pivot refers to changing one's direction or approach, often in response to new information or changing circumstances. In the video, the speaker talks about pivoting from construction to technology, indicating a significant career shift that allowed them to apply their newly acquired skills in a different field.

💡Ali Abdul method

The Ali Abdul method is a learning strategy that the speaker discovered and applied to achieve academic success. It involves creating a system of questions and answers based on study material, using tools like mind maps and the Anki app to reinforce memory and understanding. The method is designed to help learners internalize and recall information more effectively.

💡Anki

Anki is a flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help users memorize information more efficiently. It allows users to create digital flashcards with questions and answers, which are then reviewed at intervals tailored to the user's recall ability, with the aim of moving information from short-term to long-term memory. In the video, the speaker uses Anki as part of their learning strategy to retain information from their studies.

💡note-taking

Note-taking is the act of recording information during a lecture, meeting, or while studying, with the goal of retaining and reviewing the material later. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of effective note-taking using tools like Obsidian, which helps link notes together, creating a web of interconnected information that can be easily referenced and reviewed.

💡software engineering

Software engineering is the application of engineering principles to the design, development, and maintenance of software systems. It involves writing code, debugging, and using various tools and frameworks to create efficient and reliable software. In the video, the speaker applies their learning strategies to software engineering by breaking down technical books into questions and answers, which they then use to solidify their understanding of coding concepts.

💡business knowledge

Business knowledge refers to the understanding of how a business operates, its processes, products, and the industry in which it functions. In the context of the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of not only learning technical skills but also acquiring business knowledge to stand out in the tech industry. This includes understanding the specific terminology and context of the company one works for.

💡learning from peers

Learning from peers involves gaining knowledge or skills by observing and interacting with colleagues or other individuals in the same field. The speaker in the video advocates for this approach, encouraging viewers to identify the strengths of their teammates and actively seek to learn from them, which can lead to professional growth and improved problem-solving abilities.

💡knowledge gaps

Knowledge gaps refer to areas of information or expertise that are missing within a team or individual. Identifying and filling these gaps can provide a competitive advantage and demonstrate value to an organization. In the video, the speaker advises viewers to find these gaps in their team and take the initiative to learn and master the areas where others may lack expertise.

💡tech news

Tech news refers to the latest information and updates about the technology industry, including new developments, trends, and tools. Staying informed about tech news is crucial for professionals in the field to remain current and adapt to changes. The speaker in the video emphasizes the importance of keeping up to date with tech news to be aware of new tools and frameworks that can enhance one's work.

Highlights

The speaker transitioned from struggling in college to achieving a first-class degree in construction finance.

The Ali Abdul method played a crucial role in the speaker's academic success and ability to learn effectively.

The speaker initially had doubts about the effectiveness of traditional learning strategies like mind maps.

A friend's unique approach of using a Word document and the Anki app for learning was adopted and adapted by the speaker.

The strategy involves creating a collection of questions and answers from textbooks, which are then used in the Anki app for spaced repetition.

The Anki app adjusts the frequency of reviewing flashcards based on the user's ability to recall the information.

The speaker prefers using Obsidian for note-taking due to its ability to link notes together and visually represent the connections.

The speaker applied the learning strategy to software engineering by breaking down an in-depth book into questions and answers.

In addition to technical knowledge, the speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the business context.

The speaker suggests learning from the strengths of team members and leveraging YouTube for professional development.

Identifying and filling knowledge gaps within a team can set an individual apart and provide unique value.

Staying updated with tech news and trends is crucial for staying ahead in the industry.

The speaker created a separate video detailing a workflow for problem-solving that is applicable to everyone.

The speaker's journey from college to university and then into the tech industry demonstrates the power of effective learning strategies.

The use of spaced repetition and active recall techniques significantly enhanced the speaker's learning process.

Adapting学习方法 to fit one's own preferences and needs can lead to greater success in learning and retaining information.

The speaker's experience underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in a rapidly evolving field like technology.

Transcripts

when I was in college I did physics

maths English and computer science I got

two D's and two 's it didn't go well I

thought I wasn't academic I managed to

get in through clearing to a university

to do a construction Finance degree at

the end of it I got a first class degree

with honors and then spent 6 months in

construction and pivoted into Tech and I

was Sprint ready in 3 months in a text

act but I'd never worked in before and I

had no prior projects so in this video

I'm going to show you how the Ali Abdul

method got me a first class degree and

put me on the path to becoming pretty

Adept at learning the strategy I've end

up apply to become Sprint ready in 3

months and then the three things that

you need to do that will get you noticed

as being knowledgeable so how do you get

good at learning well after my failure

at College I realized that this was my

last chance to get my act together going

to University was going to cost a lot of

money and I wouldn't have a second shot

at it so I think I literally went online

and typed in how to get a first class

degree at University and this would have

come up now it wasn't this specific

video it was an old one but I think he's

deleted where he shared that he had all

of these strategies for learning that he

implied he did the mind maps he did did

like all of the classic things that you

think of when it comes to learning he

had a friend that was massively

outperforming him so he asked his friend

oh what what's your secret and the dude

had a Word document and an app called

anky and in this word document he would

literally just write down questions and

answers now these guys were studying for

medicine so it would literally just be a

collection of okay he's learned about St

Mary cury and he would write the

questions that would answer all the

things that he needs to remember about

them so when did she die and then he

would write the answer and he would keep

writing these questions and answers

until he' finish whatever textbook

section that he was on and it covered

everything and then he would copy and

paste feeds into an app called uny and

this is what the GUI looked like so

you'd simply get the question and You'

think okay what's the answer and then

down here there'd be a show button you

click show and it would show you the

answer and based on whether you could

remember what the answer was You' click

you'd either click again good or easy so

if you're struggling it will show you

more frequently you can see there 1

minute right so it's going to show you

again in in a minute but if you found it

easy it's not going to show you that

card for another 4 days so essentially

what it does is it it asks you the

questions that you need asking more

often more often and the ones that you

have learned quickly it doesn't show you

for a few days now really this only

takes about 5 minutes a day because the

cards become so spread out there's some

that are in my database that it only

shows me once a year because I just know

them like the basics of coding like

stuff that I day-to-day still have in

the bank just in case because you know

you never know what you'll forget and I

don't have to manage it anymore it's

managed by the software for me now I'm

not too sure I agreed really with having

a bunch of Word documents with all of

your notes because it's not a very smart

way of organizing what you've learned so

I actually use obsidian which links your

notes together in and this graph shows

it quite nicely right so this person has

a books note and he's linked it to some

authors and so he can literally see the

connections between what he's learned

and it's just an overall really powerful

note taking app that I use but I'm not

going to go into too many details just

so that I can give you the overall

framework of what I do so you've got

obsidian for taking notes and you've got

uny for remembering what you've noted

forever how do you apply that to

something like software engineering well

first I would get an in-depth book on

your text tack so I have the I have John

Ski C in-depth and I went through this

book and I broke it up into questions

and answers now a lot of this stuff I

already knew it was solidifying my

knowledge and making sure that I was

doing things correctly so for example I

might be taking notes on generics so I'd

write a question but what I'm reading in

the textbook answers I'd write down the

answer and then also I normally give

myself something supplementary if it's

not code then it's normally an image but

in the case of code I'll put in line

code so if I let this know that it's C

code and we give them better formatting

then we have our question and answer and

this is how I track what I learn in

coding you're a software engineer you're

not just here to learn code you've got

to apply it to a business context so

another thing is keeping ahead of how

your business works so you should also

be using this technique to learn the

business knowledge of your company

because the chances are your colleagues

aren't doing this and this is really

going to stand out after a couple of

months when you can remember all of the

technical terms and knowledge that is

specific to that business instead of

just generically bringing code like

every software engineer graduate does

once you've created these notes you just

copy paste them into ankey and there you

go you've got them memorized forever for

maybe five minutes a day so your last

question might be okay well that's

obvious learn coding and learn and learn

the business knowledge what else should

I be learning what else should I be

learning to get ahead I really want to

be that person that everybody knows

knows their stuff well I've actually got

three points on first I think you should

learn from the best you're going to be

on a team and people are going to have

strengths and weaknesses work out what

people are good at and learn from them

if you have a colleague who happens to

be really good at system architecture

and you have a task that's relevant to

that go and learn from them say look

this is what I'm working on I know

you're the guy for system architecture

they're going to love that you've

noticed they're more likely to be

willing to help from that in this way

you're making the most off of the

mentorship that you can get from your

colleagues it's what's going to set you

apart from the people who don't

currently have a job if you don't have a

job you've got YouTube I consumed so

much YouTube content while I was in

construction and that eased my

transition because I understood the

language I understood how software

Engineers communicate because I watched

them in my spare time right so the

second thing is to find the knowledge

gaps in your team your team isn't going

to cover every single aspect of what the

business needs you to be able to do find

where find the holes maybe somebody

recently has left and he was the guy for

a specific library or framework fill

that Gap if you're in a standup and

there's a feature that's coming up and

everybody throws their hands up and says

actually I haven't really worked on

something like that before I don't know

jump on that task take notes remember it

so then in a month time when you get

another feature just like it and

everybody still doesn't know what

they're doing you're the guy that goes

oh I I did it I remember what I did did

here's how we're going to do it and

lastly keep up to date with tech news

chances are you're probably using GitHub

co-pilot and that's because that

information has got to you think of

other tools that are equally useful that

you're not aware of just because you're

not keeping up to date with the industry

and you don't have to be sat there

reading you know the tech the tech

section of the financial times subscribe

to some YouTubers that make the news

interesting like I watch every fire chip

video and it's hilarious it's really

good and when I'm when I'm at work and

people talking about a new JavaScript

framework I already know about it and

the reason I remember that is because

it's funny if you follow this strategy

you're going to notice that your

knowledge for your career has exploded

but that doesn't strictly mean that

you're going to be good at problem

solving which is still a massive part of

your job so I made this video here which

talks about my workflow for how I solve

problems it's not language specific so

it should apply to everyone so if you

click this video here hopefully that

helps cheers