How to STUDY so FAST it feels ILLEGAL

Summary

In this video, Karl Avillo, MD, shares insights on how to study more efficiently using concepts from the book "Ultralearning" by Scott Young. He narrates personal experiences of struggling with traditional study methods and discovering the importance of 'metalearning'—learning how to learn. Avillo emphasizes directness in learning, practicing skills in the context they'll be used, and overcoming the ease of passive learning methods in favor of more challenging active recall practices. By adopting these techniques, Avillo experienced better grades and less burnout, ultimately transforming his approach to exams and learning new skills.

Highlights

• Karl Avillo, MD, connects with viewers by sharing his struggles and triumphs with studying.
• Ultralearning encourages figuring out how to study effectively, not just what to study.
• The idea of 'metalearning' is introduced, stressing learning techniques that enhance understanding.
• Directness is emphasized as learning in the context where skills are applied is more effective.
• Active recall, though difficult, is highlighted as a more useful study method for retention.

Key Takeaways

• Discover the power of 'metalearning'—learning how to learn 📚
• Prioritize directness in learning by practicing skills in context 🎯
• Active recall is more challenging but effective; embrace the difficulty 🤔
• Traditional study methods aren’t bad, but adapt based on exam requirements 📝
• Learning directly is tough but offers a significant advantage 💪

Overview

Karl Avillo, MD, starts by recounting his journey of dealing with inefficient study methods. Despite using all the 'right' resources, he noticed a gap in translating effort into results until he stumbled upon 'Ultralearning' by Scott Young. This book steered him towards understanding metalearning: studying how to study better. 📚

The concept of directness stands out as Avillo highlights the significance of learning in the context of usage. Instead of indulging in passive study techniques, he endorses diving directly into practicing skills as they'll appear in real-life scenarios, thus ensuring a quicker and more effective learning process. 💡

Avillo wraps up by discussing the pitfall of choosing 'easy' study methods over more effective but challenging ones. He advocates for active recall techniques, such as practice tests and flashcards, which, despite being harder, lead to better retention and understanding. He ends the video encouraging viewers to explore more about creating good study habits for exam success. 🎓

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Problem Statement The chapter addresses the common struggle of studying for exams, tests, or new skills, noting traditional methods like rereading and highlighting often fall short. It highlights feelings of overwhelm and inefficacy, suggesting the need for a faster, more effective study method that prevents forgetfulness.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Introducing Ultralearning The chapter titled 'Introducing Ultralearning' discusses the concept of ultralearning as outlined by Scott Young. It highlights the common problem of being advised on what to study without guidance on how to study effectively. The chapter sets the stage for exploring techniques to learn faster, retain more information, and succeed in exams by focusing not just on resources but on effective study methods.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Personal Experience and Realization The chapter explores the narrator's personal journey through education, particularly highlighting a pivotal transition from a previously successful study strategy to a realization during medical school. Initially, the narrator believed that selecting the best books and having the right materials was the key to academic success, which worked up to a point. However, the overwhelming volume of information in medical school made the narrator feel like they were 'drinking from a fire hose'. Despite efforts to study harder and longer, it became apparent that these strategies were insufficient. The narrator begins to realize that other students, who may not be putting in more time, are achieving better grades, suggesting that a change in strategy or approach is necessary.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Change in Study Approach The chapter "Change in Study Approach" explores a personal revelation the narrator experiences about study habits. The narrator observes that peers who outperform them academically are using the same study materials; however, these peers employ different methods of studying. This insight leads the narrator to read several books on effective study techniques, and they experiment with active versus passive study methods. Through this new approach, not only do their grades improve significantly, but they also find themselves with more energy and reduced burnout.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Concept of Metalearning The chapter titled 'Concept of Metalearning' discusses the importance of studying smarter rather than harder. It introduces the concept of metalearning, which is learning how to learn. The chapter emphasizes that understanding how to learn is the first step when studying for an exam or acquiring new skills. A quote from the book highlights metalearning as a principle of ultralearning.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Example: Learning Japanese The chapter discusses the concept of metalearning, which involves understanding how a subject is broken down into different elements and learning from how others have approached it. This provides a better starting point for learning. The idea is likened to Abraham Lincoln's quote about spending more time sharpening the axe before chopping down a tree, suggesting that a bit of upfront effort in finding the best study methods makes the learning process more efficient.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Directness in Learning This chapter emphasizes the importance of directness and efficiency in learning. The narrator discusses the significance of reflecting on the most effective ways to learn something new, suggesting that the method of study may sometimes outweigh the study material itself. The illustration involves learning to speak Japanese fluently within a month under the assumption of unlimited resources, highlighting different approaches one could take to achieve this ambitious goal.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Learning by Doing - Analogies This chapter explores the concept of 'Learning by Doing' through the use of analogies. The speaker discusses three methods for learning a language: watching YouTube videos about grammar and pronunciation, using the language learning app Dualingo, or immersing oneself in the culture by traveling to Japan and engaging with locals. The discussion emphasizes the effectiveness of immersion as a learning strategy, highlighting it as the probably fastest way to fluency because it involves real-world practice in the context where the language will be used.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Practice for Exams The chapter 'Practice for Exams' emphasizes the concept of 'directness' in learning, which is closely related to applying skills in the real context they are intended for. It criticizes the tendency to rely on indirect methods like apps or books without engaging in real-life practice. For instance, to learn a language effectively, one should converse with others rather than merely using language apps. Similarly, to excel in communication, practicing speaking is more effective than just reading about it. Real-world application is portrayed as essential for mastering a skill.
• 06:00 - 07:00: Active Recall and Effective Learning The chapter discusses the common issue where direct learning feels uncomfortable or boring, leading individuals to default to indirect learning methods like books or apps. It emphasizes the importance of connecting new knowledge directly to the practical context in which it will be used. The narrative questions why indirect learning remains prevalent despite its documented challenges, suggesting that direct application is more effective.
• 07:00 - 08:00: Conclusion and Call to Action In the conclusion and call to action chapter, the emphasis is on the challenging nature of learning through direct practice, as opposed to passive methods like reading or attending lectures. The chapter argues that the difficulty associated with direct engagement in a subject or skill can lead to a competitive advantage for learners. The text draws an analogy to learning how to ride a bike, where practical experience is far more effective than theoretical knowledge. The call to action encourages applying these direct engagement tactics to learn more effectively.

How to STUDY so FAST it feels ILLEGAL Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 So, if you're anything like me, you've probably spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to study and pass your exams. Whether it's for school, an upcoming test, or even just learning a new skill for your side hustle. And the usual advice that we get like rereading, highlighting, taking notes, and drawing concept maps, they don't really help us, right? Because you still forget most of what you studied. So, you're feeling overwhelmed. And worst of all, it feels like you're putting in all these effort, but not seeing any results. But what if there's a faster and more effective way to study? one that helps you to actually learn and avoid forgetting what you just
• 00:30 - 01:00 studied. And that's where this book comes in. Ultralearning by Scott Young. And in this video, I'm going to share with you tips from the book that'll hopefully help you learn much faster, remember more, and pass your exams. Let's get into it. When I was in school, people would always tell me what to study, like read this book, go through this material, and memorize these notes. And whenever I ask someone for advice, I usually get a list of resources, but never on the how to actually study them. So obviously that's what I focused on, like figuring out the right resources
• 01:00 - 01:30 and picking the best books. And I thought that if I just had the right materials, I'd be able to pass all of my exams. And to be fair, that approach kind of worked. But everything changed when I got into med school because suddenly there was a lot more information that you have to know in a short amount of time. And it felt like drinking from a fire hose. And so I figured maybe I just had to study harder, study longer hours, read more pages. And I told myself that maybe pouring more time and effort would solve the problem. But then I started to realize something that some of the students who were getting better grades
• 01:30 - 02:00 than me were using the exact same books and materials that I was using. And that's when it finally clicked for me. Like it wasn't about what they were studying. It was about how they were studying. And so I started looking into it. I read a few books about how to study more effectively. I tried out different study techniques, active versus passive. And over time it started to change. It's like my grades massively improved, but more than that, I didn't feel as burned out. I had more energy,
• 02:00 - 02:30 more time to take care of myself, go to the gym, spend time with my family and my partner back then, who is now my wife. And so, I realized that this is what it meant to actually study smarter and not just harder. And it turns out there's actually a name for that. It's called metalarning. It's basically learning how to learn. And the book says that this is the first thing that you should do like when you're studying for an exam or trying to learn a new skill. And I'm going to read a quote from the book and it says in discussing the principles of ultralearning metalarning
• 02:30 - 03:00 comes first understanding how a subject breaks down into different elements and seeing how others have learned it previously thus providing an advantageous starting point. In this case metalarning means learning about learning. And it's kind of like that quote from Abraham Lincoln and it says, "Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I'll spend the first four sharpening the axe." And it's the same idea, right? If you take a bit of time up front to figure out the best way to study, everything else becomes much easier and
• 03:00 - 03:30 you'll learn better and much faster. So now, before I dive into learning anything new, I always stop and ask myself, what's the quickest and most effective way to learn this? because how you study is just as important, if not more important, than what you study. Now, let's say that you wanted to learn how to speak Japanese fluently in just one month. And let's say that money is not a problem and that your only goal is to speak Japanese fluently in just one month. Now, imagine you have three options. The first is you could start by
• 03:30 - 04:00 watching YouTube videos about grammar and pronunciation. Or the second one is you can download Dualingo and go through all of the lessons. And the third one is you could fly to Japan and just starting talking to people even if you're stumbling through every sentence at first. Which one do you think will have the highest probability that you achieve your goal in one month? The last one sounds the most intense, but it's probably the fastest way to get fluent. Why? Because you are learning in the same context where you'll actually use
• 04:00 - 04:30 the skill of speaking Japanese. And this is what the book calls as directness. And I'll read a quote from the book and it says, "Directness is the idea of learning being tied closely to the situation or context that you want to use it in. We want to speak a language but try to learn mostly by playing on fun apps rather than conversing with actual people. We want to work on collaborative professional programs but mostly code scripts in isolation. We want to become great speakers so we buy a book on communication rather than practice presenting. In all of these
• 04:30 - 05:00 cases, the problem is the same. Directly learning the thing we want feels too uncomfortable, boring or frustrating. So we settle for some book, lecture or app, hoping it will eventually make us better at the real thing. When we learn new things, therefore, we should always strive to tie them directly to the context we want to use them in. Given the well doumented difficulty with indirect forms of learning, why are they still the default both in schools and in many failed attempts at self-education? The answer is that learning directly is
• 05:00 - 05:30 hard. It's often more frustrating, challenging, and intense than reading a book or sitting through a lecture. But this very difficulty creates a potent source of competitive advantage for any wouldbe ultrarner. If you're willing to apply tactics that exploit directness despite these difficulties, you will end up learning much more effectively. And it's kind of learning how to ride a bike, right? Like if you want to ride a bike, you don't read a 100page book on how to ride a bike. You buy a bike and you get on the bike and you start learning how to pedal the bike and you
• 05:30 - 06:00 figure it out by going straight ahead and doing the thing. And the same goes for getting fit. You don't get a six-pack from reading articles about abs. Like you hit the gym and you do the reps. And when it comes to exams is the same idea. Like if your test is made up of multiple choice questions, the best way to prepare is by actually answering multiple choice questions because that's what you'll be doing on the day of the exam. So that's what you should be practicing. It's not that other methods like taking notes or drawing concept maps are bad because they're not. I
• 06:00 - 06:30 mean, they can be really helpful, especially when you're just trying to wrap your head around something new, like during your years of medical school, for example. But when you have a big exam coming up, like a lensure examination, which will determine whether you will get to practice your profession or not, you need to focus on what will actually help you perform better on that exam. Because the exam isn't going to ask you to draw a concept map or summarize a chapter, right? It's going to give you four options and it's going to ask you to pick the right one. So, if you want to get better at that,
• 06:30 - 07:00 you need to practice doing exactly that. Which leads us to tip number three. This last tip is something a lot of students already know on some level, but most don't actually do it. And one of the main reasons is that we tend to judge how well we're learning based on how studying feels at the moment. If something feels easy, like rereading notes or highlighting a textbook, we assume that we're understanding it, like we're we're really getting it and it feels smooth, you know, so we think that it's working that. But on the other hand, if a study method feels hard, like
• 07:00 - 07:30 doing flashcards or practice tests, we we often avoid it because it feels frustrating and slow and that makes us think that we're not learning anything. But the truth is, just because something feels easy doesn't mean that it's effective. And just because something feels hard doesn't mean that it's not actually working. In fact, it's the other way around. Because reading and watching videos, they are ways of putting information into our brain. But to actually learn and remember that information, it comes from taking that
• 07:30 - 08:00 information out of our brains, which is basically what active recall is. And that's why things like doing practice tests or flashcards or even explaining a topic to someone else without looking at your notes. Of course, they can be more useful even if they feel much harder than like say reading your notes or watching lecture videos. So if a study technique feels a bit uncomfortable like doing practices, it might actually be doing you more good than you think. So we basically spent this whole video talking about how to learn quickly and
• 08:00 - 08:30 so that you can pass your exams. And if you like this video, you would love this video over here, which is where I talk about how I build good study habits, which help me get high scores in my exams. So, click on that video if you're interested. And thank you so much for watching and see you later. Bye.