This New Knowledge Will Expire in 14 Days.

Once received, please activate before the expiration date.

I am not sure if this happens to you.

Every time I change to a new password, I forget the changed password until after using it several times.

Or

When you meet someone new at a social event and do not remember their names a few hours later.

Or

A friend showed you how to use a new spreadsheet formula, but you don’t remember how it use the next day.

Sounds familiar?

If you have these experiences, you are part of the ‘Forgetting Curve Mathematical Formula’ study.

Hermann Ebbinghaus was a German psychologist who pioneered the experimental study of memory. His ‘forgetting curve’ theory which is a mathematical formula, demonstrates how information is forgotten if we don’t attempt to retain it.

His experiment shows that we will lose our memory of learned knowledge within days or weeks unless that knowledge is consciously reviewed.

Some studies suggest that humans forget approximately 50% of new information within an hour of learning it. That goes up to an average of 70% within 24 hours.

As writers on Medium, you would have read hundreds of articles on writing better or finding your writing voice/style.

But unless you consciously practice the tips that you have read, all that new knowledge is just theory in your head.

New knowledge need to be reinforced through further experimentation or repetition, similar to remembering your new passwords.

The trick is to quickly create a practical action plan to start within the next 14 days from acquiring that new knowledge.

The intention is to solidify your newfound knowledge into your long-term memory. Otherwise, you can expect that knowledge to deteriorate.

As the famous Peter Drucker quotes

“Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased continually, or it vanishes.”

Here are 4 tips on how you can kick start the process for reinforcement.

1.Make sure you know ‘Why.’

You need to know why this new knowledge will benefit you.

You need to know why this new knowledge is necessary.

This is critical.

Learning something new and putting it into action will require some amount of effort or change in your daily life. In some cases, it might even be physically painful to start. For example, you might be starting a new diet plan.

You are going to disrupt your habits/rituals. You might even look lost while trying to apply this new knowledge.

So knowing ‘WHY I HAVE TO DO IT’ is critical.

If you do not know the reason, you need to own up and move on.

— Urgency or Relevance

Make sure there is some form of urgency or relevance when the new knowledge is converted into action. Preferably it is needed immediately and not in the long far future.

For example, there is an actual request from a client with a deadline to submit a written content on a topic you just learned or do a presentation over the following week after learning storytelling techniques.

Be sure that the knowledge you intend to acquire is relevant for you or for the current environment you operate.

It’s pointless to learn something that does not serve to be useful or it does not get you to the anticipated results.

A good example is someone who wants to practice writing in French but chooses to publish the article for an English publication.

2.Chunk it down to bite-size

Like a chef in the kitchen, they would taste a small portion of the food to ensure its well season.

The same goes when trying out new knowledge; chunk it down to small bite-size.

Eg, instead of writing 1000 words per day, you could opt to write 150 words. There are plenty of publications that will accept short-form articles.

Or

Suppose you find an article that has ten tips to improve your writing skills. Pick one that you can implement quickly.

The key is to build momentum to start your rhythm in the next 14 days. You might not want to break the new exploration in between. You want it to slide into your daily routine as seamlessly as possible.

Energy or motivation is finite. You want to make sure your next 14 days start as smooth as tofu so that there is less resistance putting the new knowledge into action.

Get some rhythm going first, and then fine-tune or add on as you go.

That way, you keep the engine running.

It is easier to find early success with small chucks of trials, which helps build your self-esteem to push forward.

Oh, do remember to reward yourself as you achieve each milestone too. 😊

3. Be prepared mentally.

Sometimes putting new skills into action will make you look naïve, clumsy, or even foolish.

It’s going to be un-sexy.

You might even feel lost and disappointed.

Keep in mind, your first 14 days of trying something new are not about mastery or perfection.

It’s about experimentation, solidifying the knowledge by repeating, and fine-tuning to fit your style.

Finding a good writing voice or style will take time. Publish it and seek feedback.

It’s okay if the article is not as structured or does not have the right picture.

As writers, we all know that it will take a while before we get to the quality we want.

4. Find a slot that makes sense in your daily routine.

Anything outside of your daily routine will deter you from trying to start.

For example, it will be too restrictive if you insist that writing can only occur with a laptop. I have known writers who write on different devices as long as it is within their reach. The main idea is to practice writing the 150 words as soon as possible and without too much hassle.

Anything that requires a lot of setup or decision-making before working on the skill will deter you from starting.

The trick is to find a nook in your surroundings or schedule, which is easy to allocate for practice time.

Remember, motivation is finite; the more energy it takes to do something, the more unlikely you will do it or, worst even start.

As the old saying goes

“I hear, and I forget.

I see, and I remember.

I do, and I understand.” — Confucius.

Points to remember.

Be sure to know what and why you are acquiring the new skill. How soon can you put it into action? Take small steps consistently. Prepare to be silly and have fun while trying. Make it easy to start.

You are looking for momentum instead of mastery.