How to Learn Faster

I was always fascinated by people who could remember long strings of numbers – like the guy who was able recite 100,000 digits of pi. I recently came across a very insightful talk from Jim Kwik Unleash Your Super Brain To Learn Faster on how to learn faster. 

Have you ever wondered why we can’t seem to learn as quick as when we were kids?

As kids, we likely were more focused (without cell phone distractions), more playful, and more curious. The state we were in was more conducive to a good learning environment.   

The key to learning fast could be summarized as follows: BE FAST.

Believe. All behaviours are belief driven; if you think you can learn fast, you will learn faster. This is super cliché but I do believe that is the starting point if you’d like to achieve anything. 

“Whether you believe you can or you can’t, either way you are right” Henry Ford

Exercise. Your brain’s primary function is to control your body.  

“When your body moves, your brain groves” Jim Kwik

Forget. If you think you already know it all, you likely will not learn anything.  

Active. Learning, like anything else we do, is not a passive exercise. We need to create to learn, not consume. 

State. I’ve alluded to this earlier but all learning is state dependent. If you are bored, you will not learn (think back at the boring lectures you’ve had in school – do you remember what you learned?). On the flip side, do you still remember the fragrance, taste, or smell from when you were still a kid? That’s because you were likely in one of the highest state (joy, happiness, playfulness) 

Teach. When you learn with the intention to teach others, you will tend to be more focused, take better notes, and ask better questions. All of which are critical to learning faster.