The Feynman Technique: How to Learn Anything Faster!

hey everyone and welcome to top think today we're  going to learn about the feynman technique and   how to learn anything faster now let's begin are  you looking for one technique to supercharge your   learning well this technique can help you learn  faster memorize more and master subjects like you   never could before this innovative strategy was  pioneered by richard feynman he's a nobel prize   winning physicist in the mid-1900s feynman was  a front-runner in quantum mechanics and particle   physics he's one of the founders of quantum  computing and was one of the first to introduce   the concept of nanotechnology but feynman  did not earn his academic prowess by chance   no feynman created a technique so he  could learn better than everyone else   he wouldn't just absorb more information  he wouldn't memorize more vocabulary words   feynman's technique revolves around a deeper  understanding of subjects you want to master using   his own technique feynman won the nobel prize in  1965 for his work with quantum electrodynamics at   the core of feynman's astounding scientific genius  is a four-step process that anyone can learn   so what is that process what is the feynman  technique let's start with a general overview and   then we'll get into the finer details the feynman  technique breaks the learning process into four   broad and repeatable steps you use these four  steps to learn well almost anything the technique   itself is based on a simple observation feynman  notice that there are two types of knowledge   many people know what things are called  but very few people understand them   throughout our schooling we're taught to memorize  titles terms and names many of us have a long bank   of buzzwords stored within our memories when we  try to explain something we reference and use   all of the complicated words that we've learned  now most of the time those words communicate   the gist of what we're saying but they don't  fully explain the concept yet the other person   believes you or rather they believe that you're  smart enough to know what you're talking about   but the truth is neither of you fully grasp  what you're saying you're using that complicated   terminology like a crutch you're compensating  for your deficits in knowledge now feynman   distinguishes between this kind of knowledge which  we'll call knowing and a new kind of knowledge   which we'll call understanding to understand  something is to explain the concept so anyone   could also understand it that's why the focal  point of feynman's technique is simplification   to truly understand a topic you must teach that  topic to someone who knows nothing about it   someone with zero background on the subject  that you're discussing if you can't explain   that subject to a complete amateur then there are  gaps in your understanding according to feynman   but how do you use the feynman technique to learn  what you want to learn the feynman technique uses   four easy steps to help you study strengthen  your knowledge or tackle confusing subjects   the first step is choosing what you want to  learn take out a blank sheet of paper and a   pen or pencil at the top of the page write  down the subject that you want to understand   okay let's say for example you want to learn  how gravity works anyone can say the earth   has gravity but could you explain how gravity  functions why does it exist where does it come   from that's the goal of the feynman technique by  the end of this process you'll gain a complete   understanding of whatever subject you choose but  for now just write down the name of your concept   on that sheet of paper step two is where most  people realize just how little they understand   in step two you're going to write a simple  and clear explanation of your subject   don't use fancy terminology and do the best  that you can with the knowledge that you   currently have now if you haven't realized  it already concise explanations are hard to   write it takes time and a deep understanding to  explain your subject with one simple definition   that's why the feynman technique is so successful  unless you understand a subject completely then   you'll struggle to write a successful explanation  once you've written your explanation it's time   for step number three read your explanation  from start to finish are you noticing gaps in   your understanding does your definition make  sense are there areas where you got stuck or   you didn't know what to write step three teaches  you two important things first it shows you what   you do understand all the concise parts of your  explanation demonstrate a partial understanding   of your subject if you made it that far then  you're well on your way to mastering this topic   many people when challenged to explain a subject  have no clue where to start if that sounds like   you that's okay too you don't have to understand  your subject to use the feynman technique   this strategy is specifically designed to increase  your knowledge over time no matter how well you   did just move on to step four step four is the  most critical part of the learning process once   you've discovered the holes in your understanding  you should return to the source material   re-read find new sources listen to explanations  that experts give on your subject as you're   reading and listening to others you may stumble  upon a startling realization when you practice   the feynman technique you learn to differentiate  between knowing and understanding when you listen   to other people talk you can tell whether or  not they understand what they're talking about   many people mask their misunderstandings with  complicated vague and often meaningless jargon why   because they want to sound intelligent at the end  of the day we all want to sound intelligent right   but that illusion rarely represents the person  underneath if you can't wrap your head around   the subject then they may not understand the  subject either you may find that people aren't   as intelligent as you thought they copy and  recycle on a regular basis but most of the time   that's all it takes to sound smart other people  are fooled by big words and fancy terminology   and the user falls for the same tricks they  believe they understand what they're saying   even if they don't in day-to-day conversations  the feynman technique gives you a sharp ear for   cover-ups and nonsense you'll distinguish between  those who know and those who understand because   you've discovered what real understanding looks  like ah but more importantly you'll learn when   you don't understand what you're talking about  that in itself is a rare skill mastered by the   world's most intellectual individuals they can  recognize the gaps in their knowledge few people   know this but recognizing when you're wrong is  more valuable than recognizing when you're right   okay now let's get back to our four-step process  let's say you've spent some time on step four   you've been re-reading and re-learning you filled  the gaps in your understanding now you want to see   how much new knowledge you've absorbed the feynman  technique is designed to be repeated when you've   learned more information you go back to step  two you rewrite your initial explanation and   just like before you pretend that you're teaching  the subject to someone who knows nothing about it   keep your language simple and your concepts clear  this is really important when you repeat the   process start your explanation from the beginning  don't just fill in the empty spaces that you left   the first time around why is this important well  as your understanding becomes clearer and clearer   you'll discover better ways to phrase and explain  your subject okay let's go back to our first   example how does gravity work at first it may make  sense to explain gravity like this gravity is a   downward force created by the earth step three  however exposed you to new knowledge you gained   a better understanding of gravity so during step  four you explain gravity a little bit differently   this time you say gravity is a force created by  any object with mass that pulls other objects   toward its center not only is this explanation  more accurate it's also easier to understand   as you relearn and review your explanations will  get better and more concise if your definition   isn't clear enough then start again learn more  dive deeper try to explain your subject over and   over the further you push your understanding the  more expansive your understanding will become you   may discover that one feynman technique branches  into another as you're investigating gravity   for example you find out that you don't quite  understand what mass is either so you start from   step one write what is mass at the top of the page  and then you try your hand at a simple explanation   and just like that the feynman technique  connects and branches into a web of explanations   if you can explain and define every concept in  that web then you've moved one big step closer   to mastering your subject the feynman technique is  one of the most universal mental models out there   it's great for academic learning but that's not  all it can do you can use the feynman technique   to organize and explain your goals why do you  want to achieve something why have you chosen   your career path each of these questions could be  a subject that you know but you don't understand   so you write an explanation you make it simple  and concise and then you figure out the gaps   in your understanding for many people that process  provides motivation and clarity which push them in   the right direction you can also use the feynman  technique to make decisions when faced with a   complicated choice use this method to clearly  explain your options by boiling down your options   you may discover an answer so if you're ever faced  with something confusing something you know but   you don't understand remember this four-step  process the feynman technique is a universal   strategy to resolve your misunderstandings and  develop true intellectual mastery hey thank you   for watching top think and be sure to subscribe  because more incredible content is on the way

Channel: TopThink

Views: 234,460

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Keywords: how to learn anything faster, how to learn anything fast, feynman technique, the feynman technique, richard feynman

Id: 3_7qk6SeEzU

Length: 10min 37sec (637 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 24 2021