How To Study Hard - Richard Feynman

Arjun Kocher

7 Feb 202303:18

Summary

TLDRThe speaker emphasizes the importance of dedication and hard work in achieving expertise, dispelling the notion of innate talent or 'miracle abilities'. They advocate for the '10,000 hours' concept, suggesting that anyone can become an expert in their field by investing significant time and effort. The speaker also advises against comparing oneself to others, recommending self-improvement as the benchmark for progress. They acknowledge the inevitability of mistakes but view them as valuable learning experiences that contribute to growth and expertise.

Takeaways

🧠 There is no inherent 'miracle' talent or ability to understand complex subjects like quantum mechanics; it comes from dedication, practice, and learning.
📚 Becoming a scientist or expert in a field requires a significant amount of time and effort, emphasizing the importance of hard work over innate talent.
🔍 A small subset of people can achieve great things due to their obsessive focus and dedication, which often leads to breakthroughs that more 'prudent' work might not.
🌍 Even when aiming to change the world, it requires a level of effort that is far above the average, suggesting that extraordinary outcomes demand extraordinary work.
🕒 The speaker advocates for the '10,000 hours' concept, suggesting that spending this amount of time on deliberate practice and work can lead to expertise in any chosen field.
🤔 The focus should be on the quantity and quality of work done, rather than just working smart, as even smart work requires substantial time investment.
😅 A humorous take on the idea of a four-day work week, implying that even with a seven-day week, there is not enough time to accomplish all that one aims to do.
🆚 Comparing oneself to others can be harmful; instead, one should compare their current self to their self from the past, which is a healthier and more motivating way to gauge progress.
💪 Mistakes and failures are not wasted efforts; they provide valuable lessons and 'scar tissue' that contribute to growth and future success.
🔄 It's important to iterate and improve, acknowledging that some time will be spent inefficiently but that it is part of the learning process.
📈 Personal progress is not just about avoiding mistakes but also about learning from them and using those lessons to inform future actions and decisions.

Q & A

What does the speaker believe about the concept of 'ordinary people' and their potential to become scientists?
-The speaker believes that there are no 'miracle people' and that anyone can become a scientist if they are willing to devote a great deal of time to study, work, and thinking in mathematics and related fields.
How does the speaker view the role of obsession in achieving great outcomes?
-The speaker suggests that a small subset of people who are very happy being obsessive about things can achieve great outcomes that may not be accomplished through practical, prudent, and pedestrian work.
What does the speaker think about the idea of changing the world without hard work?
-The speaker believes that changing the world requires a lot of hard work and that there is no way to achieve significant change without working at a level significantly above the average.
What is the speaker's stance on the concept of a four-day work week for achieving great outcomes?
-The speaker is skeptical about the four-day work week, stating that they cannot get enough done even with a seven-day week and implying that more time and effort are necessary for significant achievements.
How does the speaker relate the idea of working smart to their own work ethic?
-The speaker acknowledges that some may suggest they are not working smart, but they believe they work smart and that the focus should be on the amount of work done rather than the efficiency of the work.
What is the '10,000 hours' concept that the speaker refers to and how does it relate to becoming an expert?
-The '10,000 hours' concept is the idea that to become an expert in a field, one must invest 10,000 hours of deliberate effort and work. The speaker believes in this concept and suggests that it provides a sense of determinism about becoming an expert.
What advice does the speaker give regarding self-comparison and progress?
-The speaker advises against comparing oneself to others and instead recommends comparing oneself to who they were a year ago, as it is the only way to accurately measure personal progress and growth.
How does the speaker view the role of mistakes in the learning process?
-The speaker sees mistakes as valuable, as they provide 'scar tissue' that allows for growth and learning, making one stronger and better prepared for future challenges.
What is the speaker's perspective on the importance of deliberate effort in achieving expertise?
-The speaker emphasizes the importance of deliberate effort, stating that if one spends 10,000 hours with focused effort on a subject, they will become an expert in that field.
How does the speaker define 'working smart' in the context of achieving great outcomes?
-The speaker implies that 'working smart' involves not just efficiency but also the dedication to put in the necessary hours and effort to achieve expertise and significant outcomes.
What is the speaker's opinion on the necessity of time investment in one's area of interest?
-The speaker believes that investing time is crucial and suggests that one should pick areas of interest and care, and put in the required 10,000 hours to achieve mastery.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Path to Mastery Through Deliberate Practice

This paragraph discusses the concept that there is no inherent 'miracle' talent or ability that allows individuals to understand complex subjects such as quantum mechanics or visualize electromagnetic fields without extensive practice, reading, learning, and study. It emphasizes the importance of hard work and dedication, suggesting that even the most respected individuals have made only slight nudges in the world, highlighting the need for working at a level significantly above average. The speaker advocates for the '10,000 hours' rule, suggesting that by investing this amount of time in deliberate effort and work, one can become an expert in any chosen field. The paragraph also touches on the importance of self-comparison for motivation, rather than comparing oneself to others, and the value of learning from mistakes, which contribute to one's growth and expertise.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Ordinary person

An 'ordinary person' refers to someone without any special talents or innate abilities. In the video, it is emphasized that anyone, regardless of their initial skill level, can achieve significant accomplishments through hard work and dedication. This concept underlines the theme that great achievements are accessible to everyone willing to put in the effort.

💡Study and learning

'Study and learning' are crucial processes mentioned repeatedly in the video. They refer to the continuous effort to acquire knowledge and skills. The video highlights that expertise in any field is a result of persistent study and learning, not inherent talent. This reinforces the idea that dedication to learning is essential for success.

💡Obsession

'Obsession' in the video is described as a driving force that can lead to remarkable accomplishments. It is portrayed as a deep, almost compulsive focus on a particular subject or task. The speaker suggests that obsession can achieve things that ordinary effort might not, emphasizing the importance of passion and intense focus in achieving extraordinary results.

💡Hard work

'Hard work' is a central theme, referring to the extensive effort and dedication required to achieve significant outcomes. The video suggests that changing the world or achieving great success necessitates working hard, often beyond the average person's effort. This underscores the idea that persistent effort is key to achieving one's goals.

💡10,000 hours

The '10,000 hours' concept refers to the theory that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in any field. The video uses this idea to illustrate that becoming an expert is a matter of dedicated time and effort. It supports the message that with sufficient practice and commitment, anyone can excel in their chosen area.

💡Comparison

'Comparison' is discussed in the context of self-improvement. The video advises against comparing oneself to others, as it can be harmful. Instead, it suggests comparing oneself to one's past self to gauge progress. This approach is said to be more motivating and constructive, helping individuals focus on their personal growth.

💡Scar tissue

'Scar tissue' is used metaphorically to describe the lessons learned from past mistakes. The video emphasizes that these experiences, though painful, contribute to one's growth and resilience. Accumulating 'scar tissue' means gaining valuable insights and becoming stronger over time, highlighting the importance of learning from failures.

💡Iterate

'Iterate' means to repeat a process with the aim of improving it. In the video, it is suggested that continuous iteration and refinement are crucial for progress. This concept relates to the idea that improvement comes from repeatedly working on a task and learning from each attempt, which is essential for achieving expertise.

💡Determinism

'Determinism' in the video refers to the belief that success is determined by the amount of effort and time invested. The speaker finds comfort in the idea that dedicating 10,000 hours to deliberate effort will inevitably lead to expertise. This notion supports the theme that hard work and persistence are the primary determinants of success.

💡Focus

'Focus' is the concentration of attention and effort on a specific task or goal. The video emphasizes the importance of focus in achieving significant outcomes, suggesting that a high level of focus, often beyond the norm, is required for great achievements. This concept underscores the necessity of dedicating one's full attention and effort to their work.

Highlights

An ordinary person can become a scientist by devoting a great deal of time to study, work, and thinking in mathematics.

There is no miracle talent or special ability to understand complex subjects like quantum mechanics without practice and learning.

A small subset of people can be very happy being obsessive about things, which often leads to getting things done that practical work won't.

Great outcomes require working at a level three standard deviations above the mean.

The speaker finds the idea of a four-day work week amusing, as they can't get enough done even with a seven-day week.

The focus should be on the amount of work done rather than just working smart.

The 10,000-hour concept is believed to be a key to becoming an expert in a field through deliberate effort and work.

It doesn't matter where the 10,000 hours are spent, as improvement and iteration will naturally occur.

Comparing oneself to others can be harmful; instead, compare to one's past self to measure progress.

Mistakes and wasted time are not dead work, as they contribute to learning and building intuition for future endeavors.

Scar tissue from past mistakes makes one stronger and more prepared for similar situations in the future.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of focusing on what has been done recently, such as in the last week.

Obsessive focus on a subject can lead to significant progress and accomplishment.

The speaker respects those who have nudged the world in a slight direction, implying that even small changes can have a big impact.

The concept of working smarter is less important than the sheer amount of focused work put into a task.

The speaker suggests that there is a sense of determinism in becoming an expert by investing ten thousand hours of effort.

The idea of picking an arbitrary thing and becoming an expert in it through ten thousand hours of work is presented as empowering.