Scott H. Young

Ultralearning

1. IDEA 1

   Self-directed, intense learning works

   Young defines ultralearning as an aggressive, self-directed way to learn hard skills. He describes his MIT Challenge, studying the material of a computer science degree on his own in about a year, as an example.

2. IDEA 2

   Map the subject first

   Young's first principle, metalearning, means researching how a subject is learned before diving in. Understanding what to study, which resources work and how others learned it saves a great deal of wasted time later.

3. IDEA 3

   Focus deeply and protect attention

   Young stresses the ability to concentrate: starting quickly, staying focused and choosing the right intensity. He suggests working in focused sessions and noticing what pulls your attention away so you can remove it.

All 8 ideas from Ultralearning →