Tools For Learning

  1. First, remind yourself that the goal is not to simply to consume, but to contribute back to society. Build, write, teach, help others. That's why you learn in the first place.
  2. Use Anki. Here's why. Here's how.
  3. Join Twitter. Use these tips. Join these communities. Follow the top folks to learn, but talk with people at your status level. Use the Twemex and Hive.one extensions. Use Ampie to see Twitter context on other sites. Get Twitter Blue and read Top Articles.
  4. Learn from Youtube. Use Video Speed Controller to speed up Youtube videos. Make the step change 0.5x, not just 0.1x. Use the hotkeys: S to slow, D to speed up, J back 15sec, L forward 15sec, K to pause. Follow great Youtube teachers like The Economist, 3Blue1Brown, Ameoba Sisters, Kurzgesagt, RealLifeLore, Crash Course, and All-In.
  5. Use Wikipedia. Read syncretically by opening many linked pages.
  6. Get a read-later app, like Pocket or Matter, and then ignore everything you put in there.
  7. Use a PKM app like Roam or Obsidian. Write everything in daily and use a #tag system. Ignore almost everything.
  8. Follow blogs. For newsletters, like Substacks, use a gmail filter to archive and apply label "newsletter". For RSS, use Feed Reader, but put it in a different chrome user, so you don't get the notifications. Goal is to always to minimize notifications.
  9. Keep a clean workspace. Close all of your tabs at the end of a session.
  10. Use Goodreads for books. Set yearly goals, use the "Want to Read" label, and trust the reviews. Goodreads reviews are the online reviews I trust the most.
  11. Youtube and Twitter are great, but can suck you in. Create friction around how much time you use on them. See point #6 here.