The mind is a muscle - it needs to be stimulated dynamically to continue to grow.
Don’t rely on one “exercise” - develop a menu of options.
Write, read, listen, watch. Solve puzzles, play games. Enjoy it!
Stimulate dynamically, learn dynamically.
Lifelong learning is a competitive advantage.
But contrary to what you’ve been told, lifelong learners are built, not born.
THREAD: 20 lifelong learning habits you can start developing today.
The mind is a muscle - it needs to be stimulated dynamically to continue to grow.
Don’t rely on one “exercise” - develop a menu of options.
Write, read, listen, watch. Solve puzzles, play games. Enjoy it!
Stimulate dynamically, learn dynamically.
The most powerful learning is communal, not individual.
Build learning circles with other intellectually curious minds.
Engage regularly with no set intention or goal.
Community is everything. Embrace it.
“Why?” is the most useful tool in our learning toolkit.
But somewhere along the line, we are told to stop asking why and just accept “facts” as we are told them.
Reject the norm.
If you want to understand the world, take a cue from our kids - keep asking why! https://t.co/7AO85k2cis
First principles thinking is a powerful mental model for driving non-linear outcomes. It also requires a willingness to ask difficult, uncomfortable questions.
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) March 14, 2021
Here are a few to help you get started: pic.twitter.com/KyuAr7IUf7
Prioritize process.
Learn for the sake of learning, not always for a specific goal.
When you prioritize process, you become flexible in where you are headed.
Life is a winding, confusing journey - forward progress is all that matters.
A polymath is a person with wide-ranging, multi-disciplinary knowledge.
Lifelong learners tend to be polymaths - their curiosity naturally leads to knowledge accumulation in a variety of disciplines.
Learn both horizontally and vertically. Become a polymath.
The “learning engine” is at the core of every lifelong learner.
It is comprised of all the learning “inputs” regularly consumed - books, newsletters, podcasts, videos, etc.
The internet has opened access to it all.
Build an unstoppable learning engine.
Consuming more does not equate to knowing more.
As you consume more data, you may find the noise-to-signal ratio increases (a classic @nntaleb “noise bottleneck” appears).
Consume less, but consume intelligently.
More signal, less noise.
There are two types of learning: surface and deep.
Surface learning is quick and easy.
Deep learning is more challenging. It requires a willingness to slow down and let ideas mature in the mind.
Lifelong learners embrace both.
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
You can’t do it alone. Seek out mentors and coaches to help you on your journey.
Never be afraid to ask.
You’ll be amazed by the kindness of strangers and their willingness to help.
Lifelong learners recognize that failures are learning opportunities.
They don’t fear them. They embrace them.
It’s easier said than done. Failures are painful - physically and emotionally.
But stay the course and you’ll find learning on the other side.
When you have a spark of curiosity, follow it.
Moments of pure, unadulterated curiosity are fleeting, so you have to prioritize them when they come.
Seek out curiosity-inducing content (like my Curiosity Chronicle newsletter!). https://t.co/C2tEmvQV1v
Teaching is often the most powerful path to learning.
The Feynman Technique (explained below) is a foundational mental model for unlocking learning and growth through teaching.
Use it!
If you want to learn, teach. https://t.co/OoieG4mAME
The Feynman Technique is a foundational mental model for unlocking growth in your career, startup, business, or writing.
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) February 6, 2021
A thread on how it works and how it can change your life... pic.twitter.com/7MFj3luEIr
Humans were not made for constant motion.
Learn to sprint, then rest.
Taking breaks can be the easiest, most effective unlock for learning and growth.
If you want to learn to grow, first learn to rest.
Every conversation with a stranger is an opportunity to learn something new.
Be present in every conversation with everyone you meet.
You never know what might come of it.
Try to find a job that is intellectually stimulating.
I know this is a luxury - if you are lucky enough, take advantage.
P.S. I want to help. Check out my job board for interesting roles at companies that believe in open access.
https://t.co/UhW76VDUjf
Lifelong learners are always willing to change their mind.
Believe something to be true? Ok, but be sure to open your mind to counterarguments.
Stubborn refusal to acknowledge alternative perspectives stalls progress.
Strive for strong opinions, weakly held.
2020 was a tough year, but it did bring an upswell of novel learning formats.
Cohort-based courses - which foster community! - are a great innovation.
Cool Example: Ascend - a program for women looking to accelerate their careers. https://t.co/UjIh1gyfh0
A healthy mind is a powerful mind.
Set aside time for mindfulness.
Practice meditation - start with 5 minutes a day and build up from there. There are plenty of great apps to help you get started.
With a healthy mind, anything is possible.
All lifelong learners recognize that school is nothing but the starting line of our true education.
Once you internalize this, you’ll start doing things differently.
The greatest riches in life - personal or professional - come from compound interest.
But it takes time. Lots of time.
Knowledge is no different - it compounds.
So lifelong learners play the long game. Let the magical power of compounding work for you.
What are some that I am missing?
If you enjoyed this, follow me for more threads on business, mental models, and life. You can find all of my threads in the meta-thread below. https://t.co/Q2PggDh1lc
1/ An Allegory of Finance
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) July 18, 2020
I have been posting a lot of educational (and humorous!) threads on finance, money, and economics.
My mission is simple: to demystify these concepts and make them accessible to everyone.
All of the threads can be found below. Enjoy and please share!
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Recently, the @CNIL issued a decision regarding the GDPR compliance of an unknown French adtech company named "Vectaury". It may seem like small fry, but the decision has potential wide-ranging impacts for Google, the IAB framework, and today's adtech. It's thread time! 👇
It's all in French, but if you're up for it you can read:
• Their blog post (lacks the most interesting details): https://t.co/PHkDcOT1hy
• Their high-level legal decision: https://t.co/hwpiEvjodt
• The full notification: https://t.co/QQB7rfynha
I've read it so you needn't!
Vectaury was collecting geolocation data in order to create profiles (eg. people who often go to this or that type of shop) so as to power ad targeting. They operate through embedded SDKs and ad bidding, making them invisible to users.
The @CNIL notes that profiling based off of geolocation presents particular risks since it reveals people's movements and habits. As risky, the processing requires consent — this will be the heart of their assessment.
Interesting point: they justify the decision in part because of how many people COULD be targeted in this way (rather than how many have — though they note that too). Because it's on a phone, and many have phones, it is considered large-scale processing no matter what.
It's all in French, but if you're up for it you can read:
• Their blog post (lacks the most interesting details): https://t.co/PHkDcOT1hy
• Their high-level legal decision: https://t.co/hwpiEvjodt
• The full notification: https://t.co/QQB7rfynha
I've read it so you needn't!
Vectaury was collecting geolocation data in order to create profiles (eg. people who often go to this or that type of shop) so as to power ad targeting. They operate through embedded SDKs and ad bidding, making them invisible to users.
The @CNIL notes that profiling based off of geolocation presents particular risks since it reveals people's movements and habits. As risky, the processing requires consent — this will be the heart of their assessment.
Interesting point: they justify the decision in part because of how many people COULD be targeted in this way (rather than how many have — though they note that too). Because it's on a phone, and many have phones, it is considered large-scale processing no matter what.
