The Unique Behaviours of Top 0.1% Students

Summary

The speaker discusses the qualities that distinguish top students from their peers, emphasizing that success in learning is not just about knowing techniques but implementing effective habits and overcoming barriers. They highlight the importance of critical thinking in refining study methods and the pitfalls of relying on luck or copying others' strategies. The transcript contrasts the reactive, hope-based approach of average students with the proactive, methodical strategies of top learners, who focus on understanding and addressing the root causes of poor performance.

Takeaways

• 😀 Top students have often been successful long before achieving top results, indicating that success is a process and not just a single event.
• 🔍 Different individuals can have vastly different outcomes from the same teaching method, suggesting that personal attributes and habits play a significant role in academic success.
• 🎓 The speaker's personal journey from being a student to an educator highlights the evolution of learning strategies and the importance of adapting to one's own learning style.
• 💡 Quick tips and tricks may not be impactful enough for long-term success; instead, a deeper understanding of effective learning practices is necessary.
• 📚 The enjoyment of the learning process is crucial; top learners often find studying engaging and enjoyable, which is a key to their success.
• 🛑 Barriers to improvement are often more significant than the lack of knowledge about the best techniques, and addressing these barriers is essential for progress.
• 🔑 The prerequisites of excellence, such as a growth mindset and the ability to adapt, are more important than specific techniques themselves.
• 🧩 Fixed habits and preconceived notions about learning can hinder progress, especially when they are not based on effective methods.
• 🚀 Top learners are less attached to their methods and more focused on refining them based on outcomes, showing a willingness to experiment and adapt.
• 🤔 The importance of challenging one's own learning methods and doing more with less, rather than simply increasing study time or techniques, is emphasized.
• 📉 When faced with poor exam results, top students critically analyze their methods and make necessary adjustments, rather than relying on luck or hope.

Q & A

What is the main theory presented in the script about top students?

The main theory is that top students have been top students long before they achieved top results, suggesting that their success is not just about the techniques they use, but also about their inherent habits and attitudes towards learning.

Why do two people taught the same technique sometimes have different outcomes?

Different outcomes occur because each person's habits, attitudes, and approaches to learning are unique, which can affect how effectively they implement the technique.

What is the speaker's view on quick tips and tricks for learning found on social media?

The speaker believes that while quick tips can be helpful, they are often not impactful enough to produce a sustainable, long-term impact on learning.

What does the speaker suggest is the key to becoming a top learner?

The speaker suggests that the key to becoming a top learner is to find a method of studying that is engaging and enjoyable, and to focus on removing barriers to improvement rather than just acquiring new techniques.

Why do most people struggle with studying even though they love to learn?

Most people struggle with studying because the methods they use are not helping them learn effectively, making the process less enjoyable and more of a chore.

What is the difference between knowing how to be good at something and actually being good at it?

Knowing how to be good involves understanding the techniques and methods, while actually being good requires implementing those methods effectively and overcoming personal barriers to improvement.

Why are some students resistant to changing their learning habits?

Some students are resistant to change due to preconceived notions about what learning should look like, cultural influences, and the fear of the unknown that comes with trying new methods.

What is the speaker's advice for students who are struggling with learning and not achieving the desired results?

The speaker advises these students to be more critical of their current methods, to experiment with new approaches, and to focus on doing more with less rather than simply doing more.

What is the role of barriers to improvement in the learning process?

Barriers to improvement can prevent students from becoming better learners. The most successful learners are those who can systematically remove these barriers, allowing them to improve over time.

How do top learners differ in their approach to learning compared to average students?

Top learners are more critical of their methods, less attached to them, and more focused on the process of refining their techniques. They are also more open to change and experimentation to find what works best for them.

What is the common mistake that average students make when facing bad exam results?

The common mistake is relying on luck for improvement, hoping the next exam will be better without critically analyzing why they performed poorly and making necessary adjustments to their study methods.

How should a top learner respond to feeling overwhelmed during studying?

A top learner should analyze the causes of their overwhelm and adjust their methods accordingly to improve their learning efficiency and address the specific issues causing the feeling of being overwhelmed.

What is the importance of not copying success directly from other top learners?

Copying success directly can be ineffective because each individual has different learning styles, experiences, and contexts. It's important to find what works best for one's own brain and situation.

What is the speaker's final advice for students looking to improve their learning effectiveness?

The speaker advises students to challenge their methods, focus on doing more with less, and seek to understand and apply effective learning strategies rather than just accumulating more techniques or hours of study.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Understanding What Makes a Top Student

The speaker proposes that top students have always had the potential to be top students long before they achieve high results. Through personal experience and working with numerous students, the speaker emphasizes that while quick tips may offer temporary help, sustainable improvement comes from deeper, more impactful changes. A major insight is that effective learning involves removing barriers and creating engaging, enjoyable study methods. The focus is on systematic improvement rather than just knowing techniques.

05:02

💡 Adapting Learning Methods for Better Outcomes

The speaker discusses how top learners critically evaluate their study methods and adapt them to enhance effectiveness. Unlike average students who stick to familiar yet ineffective methods due to anxiety and fear of change, top students are more flexible and open to experimentation. The importance of understanding one's unique learning needs and avoiding blind imitation of others is highlighted, as personalized approaches lead to better results.

10:03

🚀 Key Strategies for Academic Success

Three common scenarios are examined to illustrate the difference between average and top students' approaches to learning. For bad exam results, lack of confidence, and feeling overwhelmed, top students analyze and adjust their methods, focusing on targeted improvements rather than just increasing study hours. The speaker offers a step-by-step program for effective study techniques and emphasizes the importance of learning about learning to make informed decisions. The overall message is that becoming a top student is about cultivating the right habits and responses rather than innate ability.

Keywords

💡Top students

Top students refer to individuals who consistently achieve high academic performance. In the video's context, it suggests that these individuals have developed habits and attitudes conducive to academic success long before they achieve top results. The script mentions that top students are not necessarily born but have cultivated characteristics that lead to their success, such as critical thinking about their learning methods and being less attached to traditional study habits.

💡Academic success

Academic success is the accomplishment of high achievement in educational settings. The video discusses how academic success is not solely dependent on knowing the right techniques but also on the ability to apply them effectively and adapt them to one's own learning style. The script contrasts the journey of the speaker from being a medical school applicant to a medical school graduate, highlighting the evolution of their understanding of what leads to academic success.

💡Learning methods

Learning methods are the strategies and techniques individuals use to acquire knowledge. The video emphasizes that while there are common tips and tricks for learning, what truly matters is finding a method that is engaging and enjoyable for the learner. The script suggests that top students are adept at refining their methods to ensure they are effective, rather than just copying others' techniques.

💡Barriers to improvement

Barriers to improvement are obstacles that prevent individuals from enhancing their skills or knowledge. The video script identifies these barriers as a key factor in why some people do not achieve top results. It suggests that successful learners are those who systematically remove these barriers, allowing for continuous improvement, whereas others may not recognize or address these barriers effectively.

💡Habits of learning

Habits of learning refer to the regular practices and behaviors that individuals develop to study and process information. The script points out that many of these habits are formed based on past experiences and may not be the most effective. Top students, according to the video, are less attached to their methods and more open to refining them based on results, whereas others may stick to ineffective habits out of comfort or lack of awareness.

💡Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information in a reasoned, objective manner. In the context of the video, top students are described as using critical thinking to assess what works and what doesn't in their learning process. They are not afraid to change their methods if they are not yielding the desired results, which is a key aspect of their success.

💡Status quo bias

Status quo bias is a cognitive bias that leads people to prefer maintaining the current state of affairs. The video discusses how this bias can hinder learning, as individuals may be resistant to changing their study habits, even when those habits are not effective. Top students, in contrast, are more willing to experiment and adapt their methods, which contributes to their academic success.

💡Overwhelm

Overwhelm refers to a state of being excessively burdened or stressed, often due to too much information or tasks. The script uses this term to describe a common experience among students, where they feel unable to manage the volume of study material. Top students, as described, address this by analyzing the causes of their overwhelm and adjusting their methods to improve their learning efficiency.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in the context of the video refers to the effectiveness of one's study methods in achieving desired learning outcomes. The speaker argues that top students focus on doing 'more with less,' meaning they aim to maximize the value gained from their study time rather than simply increasing the quantity of study hours or techniques used.

💡Prerequisites of Excellence

Prerequisites of Excellence are the foundational attributes or conditions necessary for achieving excellence. The video suggests that these prerequisites are more important than specific techniques. They include a willingness to challenge existing methods, a focus on results, and the ability to adapt and refine one's approach to learning.

💡Leaders vs. Followers

Leaders vs. Followers is a concept used in the video to distinguish between those who innovate and take initiative in their learning (leaders) and those who simply imitate others' methods without understanding their own needs (followers). Top students, according to the script, are more like leaders in their approach to learning—they are not afraid to forge their own paths and are less concerned with what others are doing.

Highlights

Top students often exhibit traits of excellence before achieving top results.

Different individuals can have wildly different outcomes using the same technique.

The speaker has been academically successful and evolved their learning strategies over time.

Quick tips and tricks often lack the impact for sustainable, long-term academic success.

Patterns of effective learning emerge from working with students one-on-one over the years.

Most people love to learn but dislike studying due to ineffective study methods.

A small percentage of viewers will achieve top results despite educational content consumption.

The importance of educators producing wide-reaching impact through their teachings.

Most people have barriers to improvement rather than a lack of knowledge on techniques.

Successful learners systematically remove barriers to progressively improve their skills.

The prerequisites for excellence are more critical than the techniques themselves.

High school and university students often have fixed habits that hinder their learning effectiveness.

Entrepreneurs and CEOs have more flexible learning habits and wider beliefs about success.

Outdated mainstream learning techniques may not be effective based on current brain research.

Top learners are critical of their methods and open to refining them for better outcomes.

Struggling learners often attach insecurity to their methods, hindering experimentation.

Copying success is not effective due to individual differences in learning styles and contexts.

The goal is to challenge methods and do more with less, focusing on efficiency over quantity.

Three scenarios illustrate the differences between average and top students' responses to challenges.

Top students focus on cause and effect relationships to understand and improve their results.

The speaker offers a step-by-step program for improving study skills based on evidence and experience.

Reflection on one's habits and tendencies is crucial for aspiring to be a top learner.

Transcripts

okay I have got this Theory and that is

that top students have been top students

long before they ever got a top result

so I have known for a very long time

that you can teach two different people

the exact same technique and they can

have wildly different results what is it

that makes a top student at the top and

just for some context I think I've

managed to be reasonably academically

successful in my own life but the

version of me like 18 years old trying

to plaw my way into medical school is

very different from the version of me

that graduated medical school and then

after working with so many students

trying to help them to become

academically successful as well I've

learned a lot of things because yes

there are tips and tricks that you could

see on like a 30-second Tik Tok but at

the end of the day a lot of those really

quick tips and tricks are not impactful

enough to produce a sustainable

long-term impact and when you work with

so many students oneon-one for so many

years there are certain patterns that

you see in terms of what works and what

doesn't now when it comes to being a top

learner most people can train themselves

to use a method of studying where it

feels more engaging and more enjoyable

where they are good enough at it that

they actually find the process to be

enjoyable because most humans really

love to learn but most people really do

not like to study because the way they

study is not actually helping them learn

effectively and I talk about this topic

literally all the time in all my other

videos however I also know that only a

very small percentage of the people that

watch my videos will be able to achieve

those really top results and as an

educator what's really important for me

is that I'm producing as much of an

impact as widely as possible because

obviously just watching a video on

learning is not really enough otherwise

everyone will be a super efficient

learner it's different between knowing

how to be good and actually being good

so I think the first part is to

understand that the reason most people

don't get bitter in the first place is

because they have barriers to

Improvement rather than not knowing the

next best Technique No one is really

good when they first start learning

something and everyone is going to have

some kind of challenge as they're trying

to improve so the people that are the

most successful are the ones that are

able to systematically remove those

barriers progressively so that one day

they actually get to being good everyone

is capable of improving but no one can

improve if the barriers are not removed

and this is why I think these

prerequisites of Excellence are actually

more important than techniques

themselves and one of the biggest

barriers that I see especially with

students that are in high school and

University becomes really clear when I

think about working with students versus

working with like entrepreneurs and CEOs

one of the biggest differences is that

often when I work with like an

entrepreneur they haven't necessarily

done amazing in school and they haven't

been in school for like potentially

decades so when I teach them to learn

more efficiently it's a little bit more

of a blank slate they don't have such

strong habits of learning and they're

not so fixed and also their belief about

what they can do and how they can

succeed is a little bit wider it's a

little bit more holistic there isn't a

preconceived notion that I have to do

this in order to be successful whereas

often when I work with students they

have very very fixed habits partially

like cultural and from their own

previous history as well as what like

teachers and the education system around

them tells them this is how you need to

learn this is what you need to study

this is how many hours you need to study

and they're comparing themselves with

their friends and you know their family

friends you know like distant cousin or

whatever whereas when I work with these

high power really successful

entrepreneurs they know that they don't

have to do the same thing as everyone

else like they're free to explore and

experiment and understand themselves and

then build something that works for them

and here's a really really good reason

why you should not really place that

much value and important on your

existing habits of learning they are

probably not that good and I'm not

saying that in like a way like I'm not

like indirectly dissing you the point is

that most of the habits that we form on

learning are based on just our prior

experiences like you learn a certain way

going you know through early childhood

and then entering into like primary

school and secondary school and our

habits of learning are often not really

based on someone teaching us a right

method they're just things that we tried

and then the people around us did and

then teachers told us that we should do

and it's just kind of a mix of all of

these things if you asked me like 20

years ago what's the best way to study

there just really wasn't a lot of

research to know and the research that

was there was honestly like not very

good and so the techniques that have

become

mainstream are really like outdated and

we know a lot more about how the brain

works and how learning should be now

than we did a decade ago and then now

when we add in the idea of like

competition and insecurity and anxiety

we really lean into the status quo bias

which is this cognitive bias that means

that we don't like to change we like to

keep things the same and stable and when

we introducing change if there's an exam

coming up around the corner that creates

insecurity and anxiety and then we're

not willing to experiment and that means

that our habits just get

with a top top learner one of the things

that I very consistently find is that

they are much more critical about what

works and what doesn't and they are much

less attached to their methods and they

are more attached to the process they

use to refine their methods when I talk

with people that are like really

struggling with learning and they

haven't had great experiences and

they're not achieving great results

there's a lot of dependency and like

insecurity attached with their learning

there are certain methods that they've

been told work that they have used and

they know it doesn't really work that

well for them however they just continue

to attach themselves to it because the

idea of moving on to something else

creates a lot of that anxiety really top

Learners they are much more focused on

just producing the result like if

they're using a method and it's not

quite producing the outcome that they

want they are much faster and more

aggressive and more open to changing it

up and experimenting on it to figure out

the combin that does work for them and

they don't care so much about what other

people are doing they are in a way I

suppose more like leaders rather than

followers and so in a way it's kind of

like a poetic irony because a lot of

lower Achievers you know people that are

like really really struggling they're

just trying to get the pass or they're

like putting in like 100 hours a week

studying and they're still not getting

the results as that other like top

learner their main method of trying to

improve is to just copy success they see

a top learner doing something and they

just straight away copy that not

realizing that you can't do that because

you're not the same and so finding what

works for your brain and your level of

processing experience is really

important because if you don't you're

going to be continually trying to copy

this other person using their techniques

and wondering why you're not getting the

same results it's kind of like trying to

learn how to drive a car for the first

time by watching Formula 1 races a lot

of what they're doing is just not going

to be applicable to you because you

either do not have the vehicle or you're

not operating in that kind of context so

one of the biggest pieces of advice that

I would give is don't try to copy

success don't use that as your Milestone

the goal for any learner trying to

become more effective and more efficient

is to challenge their methods and to try

to do more with less it's not about

having more techniques it's not about

having more hours it is is about using

the same number of hours and the same

number of techniques but trying to get

more value out of it if you're using

like four different techniques for

studying and you're already studying

like 50 60 hours a week doing more is

not going to make a difference you need

to do less and get the same result or

greater that's the way that you're going

to increase your Effectiveness because

you can always study more once you

figured out how to get more value out of

the time that you are spending so here's

what I want to do now so that it drives

the point home in terms of what a normal

student does versus how a top student

uniquely behaves I'm going to give you

three different scenarios common

scenarios that most students will find

themselves in I'll tell you what a

normal student tends to do versus what

I've seen these top students doing

instead so first scenario is getting

repeatedly bad results in an exam one of

the things that I would like always see

that the average student do is as soon

as they get a bad exam they just hope

that the next exam will be better and

this is going to be a recurring theme

you'll see that most students a lot of

their responses and strategies rely on

luck whereas the top students are much

more critical and methodical over time

the normal student

inevitably is not going to change much

unless they get lucky whereas a top

student over time they will inevitably

get better and better and better and the

gap between them and everyone else will

just continue to widen so typical

student when they repeatedly get bad

results in an exam they will just get

stressed they will hope that the next

exam is better that certain questions

are not going to be answered uh and then

they're just going to try to study more

they think I must not have studied

enough for this exam next time I'm going

to study more or in some cases they may

try to copy success they'll look at what

someone else that's doing well in their

class is doing and they'll just try to

add that on to what they're already

doing with their studying and actually

just giving themselves more work to do

which kind of makes them even more

stressed and if they're lucky the method

they copied is going to help them and if

they're not lucky then that method is

not going to help them in fact it's

going to be worse because now they're

just doing more stuff that isn't

effective on the other hand a top

student is going to look at why they got

that bad result and try to understand

what is not working they're going to be

focused on a cause and effect

relationship the the cause is the

processes and the methods they're using

and the effect is the result that

they're getting so what about their

processes and methods is not leading

them to get the result that they want

are they redundant with some of the

strategies that they're using are they

missing a certain type of strategy are

they not hitting the topic from a

certain angle or not enough they're

going to be thinking about the variables

and trying to figure out why they're

getting this bad result what the bad

result means for their process and then

changing the process and a lot of the

time this means learning learning more

about learning in order to make those

informed decisions and for those of you

that are interested I do have a

step-by-step program where I distill the

last decade of me looking at these

patterns and packaging what works in a

guided step-by-step program going

through your note-taking skills and what

you need to be thinking about and doing

in class and lectures and how you should

be studying after them how you should be

revising how you should be using your

inter leing a start to finish study

system that is evidence-based and tried

and tested you also have the opportunity

for feedback so you can actually send

through your work and then one of our

coaches can have a look at it and

actually tell you at an individualized

level what you need to be doing with

your studying to make it more efficient

you can check that out at I insite.com

the link is in the description scenario

number two is if you're not confident

before entering into an exam the typical

student that's not confident before

entering exam is going to respond in

much the same way they're going to Hope

certain questions don't come up and

they're going to just study more do more

questions do more past papers do more

flash cards more hours at top learner

understands that doing more doesn't

necessarily translate into a better

result so they're going to be much more

focused and targeted with their time

they're going to try to do more with

less they'll think where are my gaps why

am I not feeling confident what is the

angle on testing myself that I have not

looked at before what is actually

missing so that the time that they do

spend studying is really focused on

those weaknesses that are preventing

them from being confident rather than

just hitting it again and again from the

same way with the same method hoping

that with repetition it getss better

which normally it doesn't in scenario 3

when you're feeling overwhelmed in

lectures or just overwhelmed in general

while you're studying like there's too

much content like you're not remembering

anything and like you know things are

just slipping in this scenario a typical

student is going to respond and I think

you're going to see the pattern here

they're either going to stop because

they're too overwhelmed or they're going

to overcompensate again just by doing

more of the same you see the trend here

whereas a top learner is going to think

about why they are overwhelmed what are

the things that are contributing to

their overwhelm and they're going to

make adjustments to their methods to see

if that improves their overwhelm and So

based on those scenarios you can see

that a top student is not born a top

student necessarily they had the

characteristics and the attributes and

the behaviors of someone who will one

day be at the top 1% even before they

were at the top 1% and so that is a

point of reflection for you how have a

look at your habits your reactions your

responses your behaviors and your

Tendencies and think are these the

habits of someone who will one day be

excellent or are these the habits of

someone who will stay stuck or trapped

and when we recognize that we may not

have the prerequisites for being a top

learner that's when the journey can

really start thanks for watching and

I'll see you next

[Music]

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