My article in the August issue was about the novel idea of ‘ultra-learning’: principles that can vastly accelerate and deepen the mastery of any skill. This is a continuation from the previous edition, for a total of nine principles.
FEEDBACK
Usually comes in three avatars:
Outcome feedback: ‘Good job!’ or ‘terrible stuff’—both equally useless. Tells us about the end product, but nothing about our manufacturing process.
Informational feedback: Tells us where we’re going wrong, but not how to fix it.
Correctional feedback: Tells us where we’re going wrong and how to fix it.
The ultra-learner cares only for the second and third types. Seek it actively from experts, mentors, or online communities – from anyone who knows the skill better than you.
RETENTION
We may learn fast, but forget even faster.
For definitions, vocabulary, and all other mugging-up affairs, use spaced repetition—testing yourself on the same thing in successively larger intervals. 1 day, then 3 days, then a week, a month, and so on. Same concept or sub-skill every time.
If you already know it—don’t stop! Welcome to overlearning, where you repeat even perfectly-known skills to embed them into the deepest depths of your memory. Learn a small set of core sub-skills until they become automatic, almost like a second breathing.
If pictures fit your memory better than words, try mnemonics. They’re difficult, but well worth the time spent.
INTUITION
No, this isn’t about naming unknown passersby or making Nostradamus-like clairvoyant predictions. Skill intuition is about knowing your field beyond the tests, performances or pieces. Merely solving a math problem isn’t enough, for example; we must know why this solution worked, and how to create other solutions/methods to the same problem. To build intuition, try the Feynman technique:
Choose any sub-skill or concept that you are trying to learn.
Explain it to a six-year-old. If no six-year-olds are available, create an explanation as though it is for a six-year-old.
If you find that you cannot, revisit your material, retest yourself, and re-attempt.
EXPERIMENTATION
So far, you have followed someone else’s roadmap to the skill. Standard projects, testing, assignments, etc. still fail to give you two things: originality and agency. Don’t stop with textbook science experiments; make your own. If you’re learning Sanskrit, read the Mahabharata. Freedom and originality will make you love what you do, and impart a unique, irreplicable flair to you.
Please note that these are only ultra-learning principles, not a linear order of progression. Try to follow all principles throughout your journey. Slowly but surely, given a steady quantum of effort and enthusiasm, you will witness a natural unfoldment of your own potential. Begin today; begin now. Welcome aboard, ultralearners!
