How To Learn Anything 5x Faster

We retain information better when it’s presented in multiple formats—especially visual + verbal.

Different parts of your brain process visual and linguistic information.

When both are activated, learning is enhanced through deeper encoding and better recall.

• Draw diagrams, timelines, and concept maps.
• Use infographics to summarize written notes.
• Explain visuals in your own words to deepen encoding.

If you’re learning about marketing funnels, create a flowchart showing each stage (Awareness → Consideration → Conversion) and pair it with definitions in simple words.

It’s like downloading a file in two formats. You always have a backup if one fails.

We forget what we don’t revisit.

Spacing reviews over time strengthens memory.

Each time you revisit material after a delay, your brain has to work harder to retrieve it.

This difficulty boosts retention through a phenomenon called “desirable difficulty.”

• Use apps like Anki or physical flashcards.
• Schedule review sessions: Day 1 → Day 3 → Day 7 → Day 14.
• Keep sessions short but focused.

Learn new vocabulary on Monday, quiz yourself on Wednesday, again on Saturday, then review it next week.

You’ll remember far more than if you studied it all at once.

Learning is like watering a plant.

You don’t flood it once.

You water it often.

Mixing up topics (instead of studying one in isolation) helps you learn to apply skills in varied, real-world situations.

Interleaving forces your brain to recognize patterns, make distinctions, and apply context—rather than rote memorization.

• Rotate between different but related subjects (e.g., copywriting, storytelling, branding).
• Quiz yourself on mixed problems instead of grouped ones.
• Build study playlists that jump between topics.

Example

A basketball player practices shooting, passing, and defense all in the same session—not just shooting for 2 hours.

Mind maps organize ideas around a central theme and help you see relationships between concepts.

Visual-spatial organization triggers associative thinking, reinforcing connections between pieces of knowledge.

• Start with a central idea in the middle of the page.
• Branch out with subtopics, then further branch with examples or supporting ideas.
• Use color, images, and curved lines to make it memorable.

If you’re learning personal finance, your mind map might branch into: Income → Budgeting → Investing → Taxes → Debt.

A mind map is like a mental subway map—easy to navigate and always showing how ideas link.

Great for brainstorming, revising, and connecting ideas quickly.

Chunking organizes information into manageable, meaningful units so your brain can store and retrieve them efficiently.

Our working memory has a limited capacity (around 7 pieces of info).

Chunking bypasses this by turning many inputs into one pattern or structure.

• Group related facts, ideas, or steps together.
• Create acronyms, phrases, or visual groupings.
• Practice until each chunk becomes automatic.

Example:

Phone numbers use chunking: 555–867–5309 instead of 5558675309.

Think of LEGO blocks. Build small, then assemble into something big.

Not all learning inputs are equal.

Identify and focus on the high-leverage 20%.

Most outcomes are driven by a small number of causes.

In learning, mastering the fundamentals drives 80% of long-term skill development.

• Deconstruct the skill.
• Find what drives results (e.g., in writing: clarity, headlines, storytelling).
• Obsess over those core inputs.

Example:

In learning guitar, chords and rhythm give you 80% of playing ability.

Advanced solos are the other 20%.

In writing, 20% of effort goes to headlines, intros, and clarity.

Nail those first.

SQ3R is a 5-step strategy for reading actively and retaining more.

It transforms reading from passive intake to active construction of meaning.

You engage with material before, during, and after reading.

1. Survey — Skim headings and structure.
2. Question — What do I want to learn from this?
3. Read — Engage deeply with purpose.
4. Recite — Summarize in your own words.
5. Review — Revisit your notes or key takeaways.

Example:

Before reading a productivity book, ask, “How does this help me with time management?” Then read with that lens.

It’s like going on a road trip with a map—not just wandering.

Every skill has a “Dip”—a low point where motivation fades and progress slows.

Most people quit here.

Smart learners plan for it.

Expecting the Dip reframes struggle as part of the process.

It builds grit and mental toughness.

• Track progress weekly, not daily.
• Use visual reminders of long-term goals.
• Normalize boredom. Mastery is repetitive.

Example:

You’re 3 weeks into coding and it stops being fun. You hit bugs. You stall. That’s the Dip. Most quit. You push through.

The Dip is like mile 17 in a marathon—keep going, and the finish line appears.