How to Learn Anything Better & Faster (Without Losing Your Mind)

Make it stick

Are you studying hard for a coming exam or trying to learn new skills for a career change but feeling stuck in a rut and can’t get ahead?

Learning doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be fun.

Make It Stick has been an invaluable resource for improving my learning skills and helping me reach my career goal of becoming certified as a search engine optimization specialist.

This book is worth checking out if you’re looking for ways to become a better learner. It made a massive difference to me, and I’m sure it can help you too.

Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and other disciplines, the authors present key findings and strategies to help students, teachers, and trainers learn more effectively.

Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel wrote the book to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the latest cognitive science findings and offer practical strategies for becoming more effective learners.

How I Learned the Error of My Ways

Although I was a straight-A student in grad school, I did everything the hard way, falling for many of the common learning myths the book warns the reader to avoid.

The techniques in this book have helped me become a much more effective learner. I now spend less time studying but retain more information than before.

Today, these techniques help me make better connections between ideas and understand how they relate.

I encourage you to try them.

You’ll finally break out of inaction with tips from experts in the field who discuss why some learners succeed where others fail — and what it takes for lasting success beyond formal education.

Avoid These Common Learning Myths & Mistakes

Here are some common myths I succumbed to when I was in school that are still accepted as conventional wisdom.

Keep Reading Until You Get It

This myth suggests that reading something multiple times will help you better understand and remember the material.

But cognitive science has proven this to be untrue.

First, break down the material into smaller chunks. Next, understand each part. Finally, reassemble them together.

Everyone Learns the Same Way

This myth suggests everyone should learn using the same methods, such as lectures or textbooks.

People learn in different ways.

Everyone has unique preferences. Find what works for you.

Intelligence Is Fixed

This myth suggests that intelligence is fixed at birth and cannot be improved.

But research has shown that intelligence can be improved through effort and practice.

You can become smarter over time by challenging yourself to learn new things.

Still, I’ve saved the most damaging myth for last…

Study HARD to Get Better Grades

This myth suggests that more hours spent studying means better grades in school. There’s a technical name for this myth: overlearning.

Overlearning involves continuing to practice something even after you have mastered it. Still, it can be detrimental to your success.

Overlearning has a dark side. It can lead to fatigue and frustration and reduce your ability to retain information in the long run.

Rather than overlearning material, focusing on understanding concepts rather than memorizing facts is essential. This means taking the time to understand how things work and why they are essential.

Additionally, focusing on understanding concepts allows you to see how different topics are connected and gives you a better overall understanding of the material.

Use These 4 Effective Ways to Learn

So, what should you do?

Make it Stick suggests techniques like retrieval practice, spaced repetition, interleaving, and elaborative interrogation as more effective methods for becoming productive learners.

Retrieval Practice

Test yourself on something you’ve learned, like taking a quiz or writing down what you remember about a topic—retrieval practice forces you to access the information stored in your memory.

Spaced Repetition

Review something multiple times over an extended period, like studying for a test over several days instead of cramming it all in one night.

Go over a concept multiple times with increasing intervals between reviews. Spaced repetition allows information to stay in your long-term memory better, rather than reviewing it all at once and forgetting it soon.

Interleaving

Mix up the topics or tasks you are studying. Actively engage in the material and make connections between different pieces of information.

Besides relieving monotony, interleaving helps you avoid focusing on just one thing.

Elaborative Interrogation

Ask yourself questions about your learning and try to answer them. Elaborative interrogation helps the information stick in your mind better.

Go deeper into a subject by asking questions like why, how, and what if. Engage with the material and foster a better understanding of it.

Explaining material to yourself helps you be more engaged in your learning process.

This practice also encourages you to make connections between different concepts, which can help build longer-lasting memories.

Studying Doesn’t Have to be Daunting

You can learn anything better and faster with the right strategies and techniques.

Try one or more of the ideas suggested in Make It Stick.

These scientifically proven strategies can help you learn anything quickly. So take action today to start learning smarter.

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