A technique on HOW to learn things better!
Hey everyone! So in this blog, I’m gonna talk about HOW to learn things so that we become better at comprehending something and using that learning in our day-to-day lives. These things can be anything, right from a mathematical concept to a new skill. So let’s get to it.
Mike Ross from Suits once said, “I like to read. And when I read, I understand it and when I understand it, I never forget it!”
While the guy is known for having an eidetic memory (and for being fictional, I know!) which is a rare instance among us, what he said above does hold true for us in real life. When you study a concept, it’s important you understand it and apply that understanding in your practical life, and only then will you get a realization, and believe it or not, never forget it.
And what better method and technique to learn anything than the Feynman Technique? What’s the Feynman Technique you ask? Well, it’s a technique created by the famous scientist Richard Feynman. Let’s delve into the details. I promise it’s a good read.
A brief history
Richard Feynman was an American theoretical physicist born in New York in 1918. He was a very late talker (didn’t start talking until he was three) but from a young age, he was very observant and intelligent.
Feynman taught himself advanced mathematics in his teens and then went on to earn his B. S from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Ph.D. from Princeton University. He then became famous for his work in quantum electrodynamics and contributed a lot to the field which helped him win a Nobel Prize in 1965. So yea, he’s an intelligent guy. Heck, Sheldon Cooper idolized him so the guy must truly be a genius!
But there were several intelligent people out there at the time as well. So what distinguished Feynman from the rest was his ability to convey extremely complex ideas in simple, easy-to-understand, digestible ways.
One of his observations was that when someone uses a lot of jargon or complex words to try and get a point through, then that is a signal of lack of understanding. And I’m sure we’ve encountered these types of people somewhere in our lives as well.
So, what’s the secret recipe? He developed a learning framework that forced a deep, elegant understanding of the topic many don’t achieve. So without any further adieu, let’s get to the framework.
The Feynman Technique - How it works
The process can be broken down into five key steps
Step 1: Write down the topic or concept you want to learn
Take a piece of paper or notebook and write it down. Or in today’s scenario, you can type it out somewhere in your laptop or mobile phone. Personally, I’m old school so I always have a notebook or diary beside me but do whatever you find comfortable.
Step 2: Research and understand the topic for yourself
So now you’ve found a concept that intrigues you and you’re curious to understand it. Do the research. Read up blogs, watch videos, listen to podcasts, books anything you can get your hands on till the time you feel you’ve understood the topic for yourself.
Step 3: Explain it to me like I’m 5 (ELI5)
Okay, so this in my opinion is the most important part of learning the concept. You have to attempt to explain it to a five-year-old. Figuratively of course! But if you have a five-year-old at home, try it with them literally!
When you explain it to a five-year-old kid, you know very well that you have to have to use simple words and you have to explain it in a way that you keep their attention ( their attention spans are very short). It’s like an elevator pitch, you have to explain your product in a few seconds before those doors open.
PS - ELI5 is a popular subreddit as well for this very purpose!
Step 4: Assess the gaps and Reflect
Once you attempt the above steps, pay very close attention to yourself and answer the below questions.
Where did you fumble?
Where did you pause to think harder?
Where did you get frustrated?
Where did you start using jargon or hand movements?
Note down all the gaps you came across when explaining the concept and think about how you can do it better.
Step 5: Organize & Review
This is a continuation of the above where put everything in one place and see what’s missing. Is it the language? Can I use this instead of that? And once you’ve got an answer, try again!
The final word
These are five steps but remember it is a process. It is not a one-time thing. And the only way to know is to test and learn. Attempt, review, reload. Each time you try it, you yourself will be able to refine it further. This technique is a powerful framework that you can apply for anything you want to learn. It’s easy to overcomplicate things and simplifying things is a skill not easy to master.
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” - Albert Einstein
Well, the process seems easy enough to understand and practice, and if this really helped you or you know someone who will benefit from this then do hit the share button and if you want more such content in your inbox where I talk about simplifying business stories and psychology, then subscribe to my blog for more!