How Elon Musk Learns Faster: 2 Simple Steps
Musk is a once-in-a-lifetime genius.
What are his special tips to learning things faster and to
actually remember what he has learned?
Rule #1 — Make sure you're building a tree of knowledge
“It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree — make
sure you understand the fundamental principles.
For example, the trunk and big branches,
before you get into the leaves or details. If not, there is nothing for them to hang on to.”
Many of us unfortunately do the opposite.
We load up on periphery facts while never fully understanding
how or why they connect back to the trunk.
This outward-facing-in method leaves many of our brains
overcrowded with misidentified and, ultimately, unimportant knowledge.
That's not learning.
It's cramming.
Rule #2 — You can't remember what you can't connect
This is how Musk was able to span sectors and shift entire industries seemingly overnight.
He started with solid roots and dense trunks, and then as he began to grow his knowledge upward,
he began connecting branches and leaves together with other branches and leaves from other trees.
Musk never learns a piece of information at random.
Everything he learns, he connects back to some deeper, more solid base.
Try embracing his two rules starting today.
Build a solid trunk first, then work tirelessly on making connections,
and start building yourself a foundation for exponential growth.