Entrepreneur's Guide to Becoming an Effective Autodidact

Have you ever found yourself thinking...

I need to learn this... but... I don't have time for a course!

Or how about this self-defeating thought-worm:

There's so much info out there... but I don't know what's worth my attention!

As entrepreneurs, we can't afford all that head trash.

We're expected to learn perpetually.

Adapt to market conditions.

Master new technologies.

Fast.

That leads to...

The Self-Learning Paradox

The truth is that no one teaches themselves anything.

All knowledge relies on an external source, be it the environment, a teacher or a book.

The autodidact is defined by someone who simply crafts their own journey without having a syllabus from a formal institution.

I've poured a lifetime into figuring out how best to practice autodidacticism.

They resolve this paradox quite quickly, so if you're interested, hit play and then read on.

Here are a few additional pointers not covered in the video.

80/20 Auditing

As you dive into a new topic, ask questions like:

• What specific outcomes am I seeking and...
• What's the 20% of knowledge in this field that will yield 80% of the value?
• When I find it, how will I validate that it's the best?
• And how will I measure my progress?

The Filtration System

I did mention that not all teachers are created equal in the video. But here are a few more questions you can ask while looking for the best materials.

• Does this expert have skin in the game? Or are they still just learning in public?
• Are they a simplifier that reduces the meaning I need down to mass market pop garbage?
• Or can I rely on them to help me understand true complexity without behaving like "the customer is always right," thereby sending me into yet another spiral of cliche-induced failure?

Toss the Tyranny of Time

People love to repeat little mantras that deliver massive doses of venom.

"I'm time-starved."

"How can I add one more thing?"

Etc.

How much time goes to thinking about time that you supposedly don't have?

This habit is hard to chuck, but one thing that helped me the most was to write, by hand, exactly what I was doing and when.

In other words, 10 a.m. email... 10:15 Facebook...

After a few days, it's clear and obvious that so much lost time is being frittered away by choice.

There's tons of time.

Scheduling shapes it, but it helps to make sure you see it first.

Use the Best Possible Tools

No, I'm not talking about apps or space repetition software.

I'm talking about the ancient memory techniques that remove any and all need for such interstitial screens and activity.

I mean, you do you, but physical flashcards combined with Memory Palaces are at least worth exploring if you're not retaining information well within the "new normal" of digital everything.

The most important thing is that you craft your own journey with radical honesty.

So many people confuse activity with accomplishment.

And that just cannot be when you want better memory that leads to a better life.

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