An analogy works by realizing that two ideas, or two parts of those ideas, are the same thing. Learning about derivatives in calculus, you may get the sneaking feeling that it reminds you of an odometer and speedometer on a car. That’s not a coincidence, the speedometer actually is the (absolute) first derivative of the […]
Is There Value in Ideas You Can’t Remember?
When I give learning advice, as a rule, I suggest active recall. That’s the process of giving the answer to the question without looking at the solution. The best way to understand active recall is to look at more passive review strategies. Rereading notes, for example, is not active recall because you never need to […]
Why Focusing Can Often Feel Lazy
A lot of ideas sound right when you hear them, but don’t feel right when you do them. This is often because they have unseen side effects that aren’t immediately obvious when you first learn them. One such idea is that focus matters more than time management. That is to say, it’s better to have […]
Don’t Be Afraid to Go at Your Own Pace
It’s okay to learn slowly. That might sound funny from a guy who is known (perhaps even notorious) for trying to learn things faster, but it’s true. My motivation for doing the MIT Challenge was (a) to see if I could do it and (b) if I could, hopefully help other people imagine self-education goals […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.