Three things I learned to use that helped with learning quickly: spaced repetition, the Feynman method, and following practice with self assessment/quizzing. Spaced repetition when taking notes and reviewing new concepts to help with retention. The Feynman method is eli5 to see where a reliance on jargon or assumptions may mask a lack of understanding. And quizzing after practice helps highlight where more work would be best spent during the next practice or lesson.

First: There is a certain amount of time you have to dedicate to a task to complete it. Estimate that amount of time, estimate how much time you actually have left to do it, and adjust the goal or deadline if necessary. This avoids the classic “huh maybe I’ll do it this weekend or whenever I feel like it” proceeds to not do anything for a month.

Second: Writing stuff down on a physical piece of paper is valuable. I’m sure this doesn’t apply for all people, but I believe having all of your notes/tasks/ect. on a computer screen is not the most optimal for our brains to process.

You not only have the abstraction of the current task, but also you’re viewing it through a small 13 inch window on a generic document that sits somewhere on the abstract device called “your computer” or “your cloud”. All of that information sits in your mind and takes up cognitive power from other tasks.

This is why I think writing stuff down is useful - it’s making use of all of your other senses, which are subconscious. The things you write are unique. They have their own physical weight, their own look and mood reflected in your handwriting, they’re located in a certain space on your desk or drawer, or maybe you scribbled a random picture on it.

Your brain automatically remembers these random details and helps you organize them. When you’re looking for a note or document it’s much easier to go to a physical place and say “there!” than to browse folders or websites on a computer.

Ask why.

Need to learn X? Ask why. Why you want to do it might point to a better way of getting what you really want. Asking why one does something in doing X will tell you how process relates to result, informing better decisions.

Did somebody do something wrong? Ask why. Whether it was because they misunderstood or were just an ass, you’ll know better what to do with them.

Wondering what happened? Asking why will usually get you the who, what, where, when, and how as part of the answer.

Pomodoro

If you struggle with imposter syndrome just look down on and degrade others:

If that fucking moron can do it, so can i.

Skill is (almost) a linear function of time spent.

Want to get better at something ? Just do it more. Learning about it can increase the factor, but it won’t actually increase skill directly.

« C’est en forgeant qu’on devient forgeron »

( It is by smithing that one becomes a smith. French proverb )

Three slow deep breaths when you are stressed. Didn’t work? Another three deep breaths then. Rinse and repeat.

If it takes only two minutes, do it right away.

Crunch the numbers. Many topics can be expressed via numerical values and the results can be quite surprising.

Before committing to doing a thing you’re conflicted about, brainstorm about it twice. Once when sober. And once when not. If it seems like a good idea in both states, it will typically lead to having no regrets on the matter even if it doesn’t work out like you hoped.

Highly recommend this book “Mind Hacks” https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/mind-hacks/0596007795/

Every day, without fail, I think of three things for which I am grateful. A reminder fires on all my devices. I don’t dismiss it until I’ve completed the task, whether that’s early in the day or not until the evening. Keeps my outlook healthy cause I’m a pretty cynical person.

95% is sometimes better than 100%.

Mnemonics. Crazy powerful memory tool, stupid easy to use. Take a couple of seconds to imagine wild, surreal images around whatever you wish to remember. You’ll remember that thing forever. Crazier the images, better. Often, you won’t even remember that you used mnemonics in the first place, you simply remember.

Say you meet a guy named Mike. Imagine Mike choking down a giant microphone. Scott? Imagine him with a Scotty dog head. Funny enough, it works backwards. “Hi! I’m Scott. Just imagine a Scotty dog head every time you see me!”

Say you want to remember to bring a thing with you when you leave the house. Imagine that thing pouring out of your front door in a flood, tripping and stumbling over all those goddamned water bottles or whatever. You might not even remember firing off the mnemonic, but you’ll remember the water bottle!

I learned about this reading a book 30-years ago. It promised you could easily recall all 50 American states, in alphabetical order, within 20-30 minutes, or less if you’re practiced.

Alabama: Grinning, toothless redneck hammering his sister who’s stuck in a washing machine.

Alaska: Imagine that redneck piloting a monstrous baked Alaska with laser beams, poised to destroy the capitol.

Arizona: Now that floating baked Alaska has turned into a dried out husk in a dry desert valley.

You get the idea. Chain ludicrous images together. All you need is the first link. Same principle as a memory palace.

Kinda dumb but there’s a proverb that’s something like when you’re trying to fix things, focus on getting yourself to a good state first. When that’s done, then help your family. After that, your community.

Its easy to get overwhelmed with everything going on as it is, but sometimes a few basic steps of just doing what you can at the smaller levels makes a big difference.