How to Quickly Self-Learn Everything with Motivation and Enjoyment?
If you've felt indifferent towards your work for a long time, quitting everything you start to learn, then I believe that you lack autonomy in your decisions.
Don't be sad because you are not alone.
Recently, I have been reading quite a few books and materials about how the brain learns. Additionally, I have experimented with various methods to see how the brain learns. As a result, I have successfully mastered a few minor skills such as touch typing and even soft skills, or writing skills. After the experiment, I felt that the enjoyment of self-learning comes only from the experience of "how much I have progressed," and not from motivational advice from external sources.
Of course, this will be a post about the core of my personal experience with self-learning anything with enjoyment. And this will be the opening post for a series of articles about how humans self-learn. Of course, I will research and share more learning methods in the future, but that's for later. For now, let's put that aside and focus on the main part with me.
To stay motivated, learn self-control to stimulate the striatum.
If you find yourself feeling indifferent towards your work over a long period, abandoning everything you start to learn, then I believe you lack self-control in your decisions.
Please don't feel sad when you hear this because neuroscientists assert that:
Apathy is due to the striatum in your brain going on strike. Accordingly, the striatum is an intermediary communicator between the amygdala – the organ that generates motivation and emotion, and the prefrontal cortex – the place where decisions are made. If the communicative pathway, which is the striatum, gets blocked, all the plans from the prefrontal cortex remain just plans. Emotions become muted when a pile of unfulfilled intentions accumulates.
In a study at the University of Pittsburgh, where subjects played a puzzle game under an fMRI scanner, researcher Mauricio Delgado observed that :the striatum was extremely stimulated when these subjects made correct predictions.
" Thus, if you want the striatum to be actively engaged to create motivation in work and study, you should stop hesitating and take greater control of your decisions."
In reality, a study on team dynamics conducted by Google on their own employees found that a group made up entirely of geniuses, or one led by an authoritarian leader, both produced low work efficiency.
The genius group was composed of individuals with high egos who often believed that their decisions were the most astute. The meetings would get bogged down in ideas, leaving team members feeling frustrated and devalued when their perspectives did not contribute to the team.
Similarly, in groups with authoritarian leaders, employees tend to become lazy and lack motivation because they do not feel valued within the team. They require the encouragement of the team leader and, even if they have excellent ideas, they may choose silence over speaking out.
After all, the highest-performing workgroups are those that are a mix of geniuses and ordinary people, with leaders who know how to listen to their members.
During meetings, the team leader requires each member to contribute ideas and viewpoints to the project they're overseeing. Even if a member is shy and reserved, the leader still encourages this person to speak up. Of course, all opinions are considered equally by the team leader. With this approach, the leader fosters autonomy among employees. Everyone feels that their decisions are valuable and worth acting on for the common good. With the wise actions of the leader, the potential of each employee is strongly stimulated, resulting in high efficiency among teams organized in this manner.
Therefore, making difficult choices and resolutely completing challenging lessons or tasks (even if the execution isn't perfect) is always a way to strongly stimulate potential. From this, you gain greater motivation in work and study.
Self-learning is about trial and error until you find the right answer.
Chris Rock is one of the most famous stand-up comedians in America. That's common knowledge. But to achieve such resounding fame in Hollywood, our Uncle Chris Rock has developed a habit of working both hard and smart.
Before launching a major show, Chris Rock takes his entire script for a test drive at comedy clubs, especially around New Jersey. In total, Chris fine-tunes his script through 45 to 55 performances. Each time a joke flops, Chris hones it or ax it. The result? Chris Rock consistently delivers extraordinary performances on the big stage.
What our dear Uncle Chris is doing is self-learning through trial and error. Chris isn't afraid of embarrassing himself in front of an audience because he knows that each revision of his failures is a step towards perfection.
Psychologist Carol Dweck argues that learning from failure is the behavior of someone with a growth mindset. In her book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success," she writes:
"Students with a Growth Mindset seek and look at the work of those who scored higher than they did. As usual, these students want to find out where they went wrong. In contrast, students with a Fixed Mindset choose to look at those who performed worse than they did. That's a way for them to console themselves."
That right! Before diving into any learning session related to an upcoming topic, it's smart to arm yourself with a foundation of knowledge and a list of questions. Then, seek out credible sources like lecturers or mentors to validate your answers.
Being passive in your education is like leaving your computer without a firewall – risky! If a course lacks positive feedback mechanisms from instructors, think twice before enrolling. A practice book without answers? That's not going to fly – trash it! If an instructor dodges your questions, it's fair to question their expertise.
Messed up a test? Compare your answers with someone who nailed it, or take it straight to the teacher for a post-mortem. Learning from mistakes primes you for success next time around.
Learning should be broken down into stages with quick feedback loops.
If we understand that people excel in learning through trial and error, not just rote memorization, then we should establish rapid feedback and a structured learning path that progresses from basic to advanced.
When facing a difficult or new subject, it's essential to break it down into stages to avoid feeling overwhelmed. In sports, for instance, students often start with repetitive practice of basic drills. Later, they're given specific exercises that combine these fundamentals into more complex movements.
Renowned novelist Haruki Murakami famously developed his running through self-taught methods, utilizing a feedback system by keeping a journal. Over years of documenting his running failures, Murakami learned more from his setbacks. Yet, in a triathlon, his greatest fear was the open water swimming segment, as he had previously quit during this stage. With limited time before the next race, Haruki Murakami decided to hire a series of swim coaches. After many trials and replacements, he finally found a coach specialized in triathlon swimming. This coach insisted on correcting all of his improper techniques. Although he felt frustrated as his muscles resisted the changes, with persistent practice, he mastered the challenging strokes. Come race day, he was able to conquer his fear of swimming in the open sea.
Similarly, to master new skills in a work environment, the Pomodoro Technique also adopts a system of breaking down stages and providing quick feedback.
Francesco Cirillo, the creator of the Pomodoro Technique, urges learners to divide their work into stages using a to-do list, then approach the tasks in estimated Pomodoros. Additionally, learners are instructed to write brief reports on what transpired during those Pomodoro cycles. Did a task spill over time? Could it be streamlined? Are there excessive steps that stretch the estimated time? If so, can they be eliminated? By daily documenting in this Pomodoro fashion, learners can draw invaluable experiential insights.
If the pressures of relentless feedback become too unbearable, you might consider adopting Murakami's approach of journal writing to reflect on the day's lessons. Alternatively, you can ponder each night like a Stoic philosopher. Seneca didn't become the ancient Warren Buffett, and Marcus Aurelius wasn't revered as a saintly emperor, by chance.
To learn quickly and effectively, it's essential to break down courses, work tasks, or difficult assignments into manageable portions. Coupled with swift feedback from mentors, instructors, and through reports or work diaries, one can greatly enhance their learning curve.
"Don't try to rush things, or you'll choke under the pressure of perfectionism."
For those who learn intensively, there's often an invisible pressure to quickly master challenging skills. But really, it's about the journey, not just the finish line. Slow and steady can win the race too! 🐢🏁 And remember, if you ever feel swamped, it's okay to take a breather and seek support or advice—from friends, mentors, or even a helpful.
Remember, if you're angry and scolding yourself for not being able to perfect a difficult skill or piece of knowledge, you're being way too hard on your brain. Our gray matter is amazing but it needs time and patience, not a wall! So, take a step back, take a deep breath, and approach the challenge when you're feeling calmer. Practice makes perfect, but kindness to oneself makes the journey a lot more enjoyable.
"Exactly, the brain often learns slower than it expects to. It's a matter of understanding that absorbing new information and skills takes time."
To remember a skill more sustainably and masterfully, the brain needs sufficient sleep to consolidate everything from the day before. Dr. Matthew Walker, a sleep researcher, once met a pianist at a major event. The pianist mentioned to Dr. Walker that he felt more proficient at playing the piano the next day. This sharing inspired Dr. Walker to conduct numerous experiments related to learning and sleep. Eventually, he confirmed the pianist's intuition to be entirely accurate.
Conclude
Firstly, don't rely on external motivation to boost your dopamine levels. Instead, create motivation through self-control. To achieve self-control, make choices. These choices can be daily to-do lists or small milestones in your courses. Be decisive in carrying out and completing what you've chosen.
Secondly, learning is a trial-and-error process. Humans can't avoid making mistakes on the path to finding the correct answers. As you know about the IT profession, it constantly demands engineers to update their knowledge. You might think of them as the kings of the game. But what you don't know is the backstage of bug-filled code, intense keyboard pounding, teeth-grinding sounds. Not to mention somewhere in there, the faint cries of "Oh, damn it!!" But eventually, these mentally unstable folks will be healed in the following days. Simply because they're satisfied with their answers.
Thirdly, to stop grinding your teeth, cursing, and learn faster, break down the learning process into small milestones to reduce pressure. Additionally, feedback systems should be quick. Teachers, friends, skill-teaching books, learning apps, and clients are always reliable sources of feedback.
Lastly, remember that no skill or knowledge is too difficult. So, don't put pressure on yourself. The brain needs time to perfect difficult skills within a certain period. Therefore, ensure your brain gets enough sleep every day while reviewing what's blocking your path. There will come a day when you find a way around that obstacle.
Refer to self help books:
How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self
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