ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

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Overview

The best way to learn?

Not an easy question to answer, but there are various structures and methodologies which can be utilised to make the process of learning more effective. There are usually three reasons why a person undergoes a learning experience, and also three main learning structures which can be adapted to suit a learning purpose. This article intends to cover these six philosophies to equip you with the knowledge to learn more efficiently.

The Three Reasons for Learning

1. Excitement
2. Curiosity
3. Necessity

1. Excitement 

A good question to ask yourself is . . .

What excites me?

If you can listen to your emotions, they can serve as a guiding beacon to what opportunities you should invest your time and energy. To give you an example, I picked up the piano because I became excited by the idea of being able to play my favourite video game soundtracks. Excitement is a good indicator to be aware of when looking to expand your horizons.  

2. Curiosity

I remember when I was young, I was (and still am) interested in learning about how the world works from a scientific standpoint. I had an intense curiosity which drove me to read about fundamental scientific phenomena like sound waves and electricity.

If something triggers your interest, it may very well be worth further investigation. Curiosity is similar to excitement, except the end goal is not clearly defined.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

3. Necessity

The reason why most people learn is due to a sense of obligation. Whether it is to pass an exam or to perform a job adequately, for the sake of necessity, most people undertake learning endeavours.

Unfortunately, necessity is not always exciting. On the contrary, I would claim it is most laborious.

Necessity, however, does provide stability. The skills you ‘must’ learn should hopefully serve you well for a long time, even in a world which rapidly changes, the fundamentals never truly become obsolete.

The Three Strategies for Learning

1. Project
2. Habitual
3. Casual

1. Project

Most skills learned for the sake of necessity will be mastered through a project structure. When there is a deadline, or a formal methodology to be followed, use a project to learn the skill required.

Usually, a project will take up the majority of your attention; however, so this process works effectively when trying to focus on learning one or two skills at a time. Generally speaking, I only create one project at a time and use it as a singular point of focus to knuckle down and get results as quickly as I can.

You can create multiple smaller projects and rotate between them, which can also be useful. The point is that projects have a rigid structure with timelines and estimated completion, which helps gauge progress and ensure that things are on track.

2. Habitual

This approach requires creating a routine and sticking to it. Once you have some momentum behind you, a habitual approach can take you very far. In my case, I refer to my martial arts training.

Unlike a project, a habitual approach does not enforce an end goal but instead encourages consistent progress.

The daily grind if you will. 

A great deal of patience is required to form a habit; however, so you will need some staying power to keep on track. Even when unexpected challenges and delays are thrown your way, perseverance will see you through.

3. Casual

The casual process is quite whimsical. Your emotions and level of interest dictate it at a specific point in time.

Because this approach is largely driven by motivation, it can be hit and miss, but on the other hand, it requires the least amount of effort.

As long as frustration doesn’t creep in, a casual approach can provide seemingly effortless progress, though sporadic.

The casual approach is free-flowing and formless. It has no structure like a project, which allows you room to experiment but also room to roam endlessly with nothing of value to show for it.

Conclusion

The best way to learn?

Ultimately, I do not believe there is one single clear cut answer, but using the methodologies outlined above, you can hopefully apply them to your own learning, choosing the strategies you feel best suit your needs.

Invariably, in my case, I use all of the above for different learning objectives, and I suspect this will be the case for you too. Let me know what learning strategies work best for you in the comments below.

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.