Rapid learner skills(8)——Seven keys to get good at learning

Seven keys to get good at learning

Here are seven ways to become a better learner:

1. Understand how your memory works.

Some key ideas include:vivid beats abstract, organized beats scattered, spaced studying beats cramming and what you think about while learning becomes your memories.

2. Reduce obstacles to learning.

What keeps you from learning? Identify and remove it. Sometimes this can be as simple as not having enough interesting books in your house to read.

3. Understand why you get stuck, and how to get unstuck.
You get stuck because many skills do not improve just by doing casual prctice. Deliberate practice is the idea that focused, intense sessions can help break through plateaus. You can apply this to get better when just using skill does not seem to work.

4. Start with small, focused goals.

Do not start with grand projects. Focus on a project that will only take you one month and has a very focused goal.

5.Create the right environment.

Many leraning goals are mostly about creating the right environment. Surround yourself with fluent speakers of a language will make practicing much easier.

6. Find good teachers.

Teachers do not need to be in-person to be effective, but nearly all learning requires materials that were prepared by a teacher at some point.

7. Do not get frustrated.

Learning is essentially the skill of dealing with frustration. If you can manage frustration, by not quitting, breaking down obstacles into smaller tasks, knowing when to ask for help and how to experiment with different approaches, you will be a successful learner.

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Words:

• scatter:verb.
  to (cause to) move far apart in different directions
• casual:adj.
  not serious or careful in attitude; only partly interested
• plateaus:n
  a large flat area of land that is high above sea level
• in-person:adj.
  involving someone’s physical presence rather than communication by phone, email, etc