The Art of Learning…anything…

Subtitled: Mudpuddles of the mind

I’ve been discovering something about myself recently. Knowledge and understanding exist in my mind like mud, sand, and dirt suspended in water. I know that sounds like a strange analogy, but let me explain…

When I want to learn something new (read a book, learn a skill, practice an art) the new information are like little particles of dirt suspended in a lake as it slowly settles to the bottom. As the various particles sink, they slowly organize themselves into layers of the same type and shape. This natural organization is what gives rise to ordinary sandstone and the extrodinary stratified cliffs of the Grand Canyon. Well, knowledge works best when it settles in the same way in my head. A great example of this NOT working is craming for a test. I have to learn stuff really quickly, just in time for the start of the exam, but no effort is made to retain it beyond that. Indeed, my retention seems dependent on how well my mind is organized. If it’s all jumbled, then it tends to be forgotten quickly. When I read a book to truly learn, it’s best to read a while and let it settle and then read some more. Obviously this can’t work very well in college since there is so much that could potentially be learned, but it’s good to pick a choose what’s important to retain.

Whew! I need a break. This as a little too abstract…even for me!