The attention is the new currency. Specifically, your attention.
Who controls it controls this world. And I mean it. Just look at the influences of the TikTokers.
So please focus. It is the only way to gain true understanding.
It would be a journey of distraction, discipline, and hard work.
But the results, in my opinion, are worth the effort.
In this blog, we will dive deeper into the process of learning a piece of new knowledge.
But first, context:
The greatest teacher I never had
Richard Feynman, a true master of understanding.
He was not content with simply knowing the names of things. He sought to truly comprehend the fundamental concepts, to see the connections and patterns that tied everything together.
Take his famous lectures on physics. Through clear explanations and vivid examples, he ignited a spark of curiosity and deepened our appreciation for the wonders of the universe.
But he didn't stop at comprehension alone.
He recognized that true mastery comes from constant practice and reflection. He encouraged hands-on exploration, challenging himself to solve problems and tackle real-world applications.
He understood that it's not enough to passively absorb knowledge; we must actively engage with it, experiment, and learn from our mistakes.
The gap
A few days back, I found myself in the audience of a student presentation.
And let me tell you, I've never experienced such profound boredom.
The session stretched on, lacking substance and leaving me wanting.
It was the usual formula, the customary examples, and the expected jargon.
This realization struck me: This is precisely why countless individuals struggle to truly grasp new concepts.
For these presenters, their confidence and elaborate theories masked their lack of understanding.
Thanks to the Dunning-Kruger effect, those who lack knowledge often exude unwavering confidence, unaware of their own incompetence.
However, as they navigate through this self-assured phase, reality eventually delivers a harsh wake-up call, revealing their long-standing ignorance.
Here lies the first principle: Embrace your shortcomings and acknowledge your limitations.
Only by recognizing your weaknesses can you open yourself up to growth and progress.
The ideas behind
If you followed my blog or took a look at my blog's name, you know where this is going.
One word: Idea.
The source. The essence. The start.
The one singular thing that all others stem from.
If you can find it, suddenly everything will be locked into place.
Now you know why X must be there. Now you know why Y is chosen.
Just like the presentation above, what you are lacking is a "seed", the very first idea that all other knowledge is connected to.
And there is your second principle: Find the seed.
But how, like really?
One way I usually look at something new with a simple question:
Why is it, not a cliche already?
What makes it not obvious to you already? Surely the authors had an idea that we are not aware of.
Find it, and your whole viewpoint about the knowledge will change.
Example:
Google has an open-source tool called OR-Tools, which is designed to solve constraint problems and find (optimal) solutions.
When I first learned about OR-Tools, I was intrigued by its purpose. I wanted to know how it worked and what made it special.
After delving into it, I discovered that OR-Tools is not just an automatic solver, but a powerful "Modelling Framework".
By leveraging its functions and classes, you can express your problem programmatically and let the solver handle the complexities.
This realization completely changed my perspective on OR-Tools.
It became clear that once you grasp the art of modeling, the possibilities with this tool are endless.
Backstory, backstory, backstory
Doof spoke the truth—backstories hold the key. Not only for villains but for everything.
Creation's purpose, the rationale behind X, and the oversight of Y.
Context reigns supreme—history, space, and time.
Reflect upon it—when did you last revel in knowledge?
Was it a lengthy aviation history video? Not you though, Sam from Wendover.
Stories are the allure of our innate curiosity. They paint the big picture and narrate the journey.
True comprehension's a wellspring.
The need for it
Tools and frameworks are what they are for a reason.
Be it for fun, to solve a specific problem, or to become a "Swiss knife" for an organization.
The need dictates the outcome.
A very specific tool will never be able to create the flexibility that a broad framework can.
Vice versa, you can't use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
It is similar to the backstory: It tells a story about its origin.
Conclusion
We have discussed 4 elements of a true learning process:
Realization
Idea / Concepts
Origin
Need
But these, just like the process described, are just the Idea. The exact execution of the concepts depends on each person's Origin and Need.
In the next post, we will discuss more about applying the concepts to a learning process.
Your own learning process.
After all, we are not the same.