Learning difficult subjects can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.
With the right mindset and strategies, even the most challenging subjects can be mastered with ease.
In this post, we will explore three powerful ideas to make learning difficult subjects not only effortless but also enjoyable.
Learn like a Painter
The first idea is to learn like a painter. Just as a painter doesn’t fill in every last gap in one stroke, it’s okay to skip some information on your first pass of the material.
When learning difficult concepts, it’s best to gather a broader perspective of the topic and acquire the needed knowledge to understand the difficult concepts better.
Learning like a painter works for several reasons:
- It helps to gather a broader perspective of the topic
- It helps to acquire the needed knowledge to understand difficult concepts better
- It avoids the anchoring effect, where we latch on to the first piece of information that we learn, even if it’s incorrect
- It allows for learning in layers, starting with the groundwork and building up to the details
For instance, if you’re learning a new medical topic, start with the broader concepts such as the pathology and risk factors.
Then, move on to the treatment or method of diagnosis, and finally, the more nuanced concepts.
By starting with the broader concepts, you create the prior knowledge needed to understand the more challenging ones.
Learn like a Hunter
The second idea is to learn like a hunter. Adopt the mindset of a master predator, who is fascinated by their prey and is curious about what makes them tick.
Similarly, you need to become fascinated with what you’re learning about. Genuine interest in a topic makes you naturally curious and hungry to learn more about it.
To become curious about what you’re learning, try to find the most interesting aspects of the topic. It could be the practical applications, the history, or the controversies.
By finding what interests you, you can make the topic more engaging and memorable.
Focus on Understanding
The third idea is to focus on understanding, not just memorizing.
When learning difficult subjects, it’s easy to fall into the trap of memorizing the material without understanding it.
However, this approach is ineffective in the long run because you’re not developing the ability to apply the knowledge in real-life situations.
To truly understand a concept, you need to be able to explain it in your own words. Try teaching the material to someone else or writing a summary of the concept.
By doing so, you’ll be able to identify any gaps in your understanding and fill them in.
Conclusion
Learning difficult subjects doesn’t have to be a daunting and tedious process. By adopting the mindset of a painter, a hunter, and a storyteller, we can make learning enjoyable and effortless.
Skipping over difficult concepts, gathering knowledge from multiple sources, becoming fascinated with the topic at hand, and creating stories to understand complex information are all strategies that can help us learn insanely difficult subjects easily.
With practice and patience, we can overcome the challenges that come with learning complex subjects and achieve our academic goals.
FAQ
Q: What if I don’t find any aspects of the subject interesting?
If you don’t find any aspects of the subject interesting, try to find its practical applications. Understanding how the material can be applied in real-life situations can make it more engaging and memorable.
Q: How do I know which concepts to skip when learning like a painter?
When learning like a painter, it’s best to skip the harder concepts and collect more knowledge from concepts that are easier to understand.
It’s very likely that the easier concepts to understand will then become the prior knowledge needed to understand the stuff that was skipped.
Q: How can I avoid just memorizing the material?
To avoid just memorizing the material, focus on understanding the concepts. Try teaching the material to someone else or writing a summary of the concept in your own words.
By doing so, you’ll be able to identify any gaps in your understanding and fill them in.
