LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

Why you should learning to learn?
WE ARE IN TIMES OF TRANSFORMATION
Learning to learn seems to be one of the most important skills ofthe 21 century since we are going through a long period of progress in technology, sciences and the social field.
The rythm of our society is accelerating and soft skills like flexibility, open-mindedness and curiosity become more and more important. But those skills are all linked to one special skill : the ability to understand and learn new things.
LEARN FOR YOUR WELL-BEING
Self accomplishment is the top of the human needs in the Maslow’s pyramid. Why? Because the ability to learn is one of the most wonderfull skills of humanity and the only great engine of our evolution. By learning to learn, you will get closer than ever to what makes us human and get a real feeling of self accomplishment.
How to learn efficiently?

USE YOUR DIFFERENT MODES OF THINKING
Learning implies two different modes of thinking : The focused mode and the diffused one.
The focused mode allow you to understand new things through existing patterns and schemes you have in mind, such as the concept of “providing and demand” if you are learning a new economics concept.
The diffuse mode is different. It is a more creative mode that allows you to make new connections in different perspectives. The only way to access to your diffuse mode is to relax… Take a break, do some exercises, make something that allows you to think to another subject that the one you are discovering. In other words, thanks to the diffuse mode of thinking, you can get some distance to understand things better and deeper.
CREATE CHUNKS

A chunk is like some pieces of information you put together to form a whole that can be used to understand new things. 3 steps are necessary to form a chunk : you need to understand, to recall and to practice.
Understand of course increases the probability for you to really learn your subject.
Recall is a way to strengthen your neural connections about the subject you are learning and to put it in your mind for long term.
Practice allows you to verify your knowledge and understanding of your subject and the more you practice, the easier you will use your new knowledge.
USE YOUR MEMORY LIKE A FLEXIBLE TOOL
There are some techniques that increase your ability to memorize things and the similarity of those techniques is that it involves to use your imagination to create enough strong images or links between the elements of a concept st to not forget that easily.
For instance, the Memory Palace technique is simple : choose one place you know well and put there the elements or the concepts you are learning in a spectacular way so that when you want to remember them, you just need to visit this place in your mind.
From learning to excelling

Learning is one thing but to excel, you have to do more than recalling and practicing.
Do not avoid difficult stuffs
To master your subject, you can’t limit your practice to what you have understood. When you understand the main part of a subject, you have to focus on the hardest part of it, you need take time on it to perfectly understand all the subtleties of what you are working on.
Use your new knowledge in different contexts
To master a subject means also understanding perflectly when to use your new chunk. That is why you need to practice your knowledge in different perspectives and to make sure that even in a larger context, you can apply what you have learned. Applying your new knowledge in a larger field will give you more flexibility and creativity, which are the signs of mastering.
Procrastination is your best ennemy

As Paul Graham said, even the best people in their field are big procrastinators. Procrastinate is not a bad thing in itself and actually, there is three different types of procrastination.
“There are three variants of procrastination, depending on what you do instead of working on something: you could work on (a) nothing, (b) something less important, or © something more important.”
According to Paul Graham, the second type of procrastination, doing little things or easy one, is the worst type because you don’t feel like you are procrastinating, you don’t feel guilty. But of course you are, because little things are not important and won’t bring you anything at all. Do not focus on finishing your to-do-list, do not make a too long to-do-list with useless items. Go straight forward to what is essential for you.
