Why you need to stop learning fast

Dear reader

I hope you are doing good.

In this week’s article, I wanted to share with you a secret learning method I’ve used to drastically improve my life.

It is slow learning.

I will give you a few examples that will be practically applicable in your day-to-day life.

Disclaimer: This is not for academic learning but for life learning.

When I say “I never complete a book” to most people, their natural reaction is to think that I’m not a reader.

But it’s not true.

Here’s why I actually never complete a book:

Most books are packed with value and lessons. If I try to learn all of those lessons at once, I will not have learned anything at all.

Think of our mind as a bowl in which we pour knowledge.

If we try to take a lot of knowledge at once, we’ll just take it in and nothing will stick. Most of it will bounce back and go to waste.

On the other hand, however, if we take knowledge bit by bit, one lesson at a time, we will retain most of it.

So the reason why I never finish a book is because I take one or two chapters at a time.

Perhaps you should give it a try as well.

I started practicing this after I realized that by constantly consuming information, I was never really allowing myself the time to deeply think about the things.

Even if the knowledge workers, teachers, or mentors you follow share content regularly, you don’t have to and you shouldn’t consume all of their advice regularly.

Don’t watch every video or article they produce in one sitting or every day.

If you learn at a fast pace, whatever you learn will just be an interesting idea. You might think about it a little (if you have time), and then move on.

This is why you need to slow down.

Take one video, one article, one chapter, and one lesson at a time, preferably one a week.

This will feel really slow but it’s when you slow down and begin to practice what you learn that things will begin to change. That is when your life will begin to change.

Keep it slow, and implement what you learn.

You can learn everything in the world but if you don’t implement it, if you don’t bring it into action, none of it will be of use.

Learn. Practice. Repeat.

Here’s what I want you to learn from this week’s article:

Takeaway: Just like a bowl, if you constantly learn at a fast pace, you will rarely retain any of it. The only way to bring a truly remarkable change in your life is by learning slowly and implementing what you learn.

This week’s question for you: What is the one book you have wanted to read for a long time but haven’t read yet?

Write me a quick comment or email response with your answer.

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In case you missed it…

Last week I wrote about what and how to prioritize. I shared an insight for achieving success in the long term.

You can read or listen to it by clicking ​here​.

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I’ll write again next week. Stay tuned.

Until then, take care my friend.

Warmly,
Suraj