Learn how to learn

Are you just getting by, or are you ready to thrive?

In today's fast-paced world, mastering the art of learning is crucial for staying ahead:

• Whether it's advancing in your career

• Becoming the best version of yourself

• Or improving your relationships...

Knowing how to learn effectively and have fun with it makes all the difference.

This newsletter is packed with powerful insights to help you transform your learning journey:

• The secret to unlocking the right mindset 

• The best ways to learn effectively 

• Top strategies to accelerate your growth

Dive in and make thriving your new normal.

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Before we begin: Here’s what you might have missed in the past few weeks…

• In issue #42 of The Productivist, I shared 3 ideas to unlock your mind's potential. Read it here.

• In issue #41, you learned my guide to building momentum. Read it here.

• In issue #40, you discovered how to approach failure productively. Check it out here.

Which one was your favourite? Just hit reply and let me know! 🫶

Big idea #1: Are you thriving or surviving?

What’s your motivation behind learning new things?

Are you being strategic?

Do you want to learn:

• To be the best at what you do

• To expand your thinking and to gain new perspective 

• Reach the next level in your career, relationships, and health?

Is your motivation to thrive?

Or are you learning because you feel discouraged?

Do you feel behind or stuck and believe you need to learn new tools and techniques just to survive?

Understanding your motivation is crucial.

Learning becomes much easier and more enjoyable if you are motivated by the desire to thrive rather than survive.

Most importantly:

This is entirely up to you.

It's not about your circumstances but about your mindset.

Life example:

Survival mindset: "I have to improve my communication skills, otherwise my partner will leave me."

Mastery mindset: "I know our relationship is not at its best right now, but I am hopeful that if I improve my communication, we can have more productive conversations, especially during arguments, which will strengthen our relationship. My partner and I deserve that chance."

Career example:

Survival mindset: "I have to work on my weaknesses because if I fail, I'll get fired."

Mastery mindset: "Focusing on strengthening my weaknesses will provide a great opportunity to learn and grow, regardless of the outcome. Each step forward builds my expertise and resilience."

If you find yourself in survival mindset these days, what’s a reframe that needs to happen to shift into mastery mindset?

Big idea #2: Best ways to learn

Not all learning is equal.

Have you heard of these four levels of learning?

1. Theoretical

2. Practical

3. Experiential

4. Teaching others

For example, if you want to learn how to speak Portuguese, you might:

1. Read or listen to books on how to speak Portuguese.

2. Practice conversations that your learn from the books.

3. Go to Portugal or Brazil to immerse yourself in the Portuguese language.

4. Tutor someone else in learning Portuguese.

These levels are arranged from the foundational to the most advanced way to learn.

As fundamental as theory is, you cannot master the subject using theory alone.

Yet the majority disregards the other three levels.

Teaching others is the best way to master anything.

And it doesn’t have to be formal tutoring or teaching.

Try one of these:

Social learning

• Partner up with a buddy or a group of people to share what you learn on a chosen topic.

• Don’t build skills in silos.

Mentoring others

• You don’t have to be a pro to help those a few steps behind you.

• In fact, you can relate to their struggles much better than the pros can, as you’ve just overcome them recently.

Documenting your journey

• You can blog or vlog about your progress and everything that you are learning.

• If you publish this content, you may be surprised at how helpful some people find it.

Which one sounds most fun to you?

Big idea #3: Top 5 strategies to learn faster

1. Get a roadmap

When you start something new, find a person who's already done it, and learn from them:

• Observe how they do it.

• Study their content.

• Learn their past.

Remember, success leaves clues.

And luckily for you, accessing such roadmaps becomes easier and easier these days.

If you don’t want to waste time, find a model that you can replicate.

2. Quantity > Quality

You think I made a typo? I didn’t.

Let’s say you have 100 hours to learn how to make ceramic mugs and produce the best quality mug possible after only 100 hours.

Which course of action would you choose?

A) Spend all 100 hours perfecting one mug.
B) Make as many mugs as possible.

The correct answer is B because:

• The more mugs you make, the more iterations you do.

• Every new mug is built with improvements based on reflection on past mistakes.

When it comes to learning new things, it’s quantity over quality.

3. Sharpen the axe before starting

This one is all about preparation before you start learning a new skill.

1. What’s your main goal and objective? (direction)

2. Why do you want to learn it? (mindset)

3. What resources do you need? (resourcefulness)

4. What’s your preferred way to learn? (strategy)

5. What days & times will you dedicate towards learning? (learning rhythm)

6. Who can help you? (accountability)

7. What’s the 20% that will give you 80% of the results? (prioritization)

4. Gamify

The roadmap becomes your levels to unlock.

You can have rewards and compete with others.

That’s why apps like Duolingo, Strava, and Forest are so popular.

5. Get obsessed

Talent without obsession < Obsession without talent

PRO TIP: Consistent quality sleep.

Access the guide to improving your sleep here.

The Productivist Challenge: 7 days of productive learning

Do you have a skill in mind that you would like to improve?

(Often, even revisiting the fundamentals in your area of expertise provokes new insights.)

Once you've made a choice, follow these steps:

Now: Block out time every day for learning.

Dedicate at least 30 minutes per day.

Day 1: Sharpen the axe

Use the first time block to prepare as much as you can for the rest of the challenge:

• Define your goals

• Gather resources

• Set up a conducive learning environment

Build a roadmap for the next 6 days.

Day 2: Learn the theory

Delve into the theoretical aspects of the skill you want to improve:

• Read articles

• Watch tutorials

• Listen to podcasts

Days 3-6: Implement what you learn

Start implementing what you've learned.

Remember, mistakes are lessons.

Day 7: Teach what you learned

Consolidate your learning by teaching the skill to someone else.

The Productivist Question

How does the concept of lifelong learning influence the way you approach daily experiences and challenges?

Have an insightful week ahead!

Valeriya

PS: I appreciate you finishing this one! Make sure to DM me on LinkedIn to share your thoughts!

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