Our learning ability is limitless, and all we need to know is how to use it

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Editor’s note: In the fragmented world flooded by the flood of information, we need to learn how to filter all kinds of data, and develop new skills and methods, so as to flourish in the 21st century. In order to obtain as much information as possible from the books we have read and apply this information to guiding practice, we need to ask ourselves three questions when reading books: how can I use this knowledge, why should I use this knowledge, When should I use this knowledge. The author of this article Sinem Günel, the original title is How To Get the Most Out of Every Book and Article You Read.

Image source: Fabiola Peñalba on Unsplash

If you are asked to summarize the three books or articles you have read recently, how many can you recall?

If you are more honest, I think you may not be able to recall much.

This is because we are bombarded with information every day.

The flood of information in the 21st century is both a curse and a blessing: it allows us to learn anything quickly at low cost, but at the same time, it often overwhelms us.

Jim Kwik believes that our ability to learn is limitless, and all we need to know is how to use it.

Kwik is a brain coach. He has been studying how our brains work for decades. In his book Limitless, he poses three simple but effective questions that may help you maximize the benefits of every book or article you read.

Thinking about how to answer these three questions while reading seems superfluous. However, from a practical perspective, they will help you remember what you have read and ensure that knowledge is transferred from the book to your mind.

No skill is more powerful than learning how to learn. It is the improvement of all other skillsbasis.

—— Eric Schurenberg

How can I use it?

Reading non-fiction books, your goal is to use what you have learned.

Whether it is self-improvement, business, technology or anything else, your ultimate goal is to benefit from reading and become better.

Although good books and articles usually tell you how to use the information you read, the bad news is that there are very few good books and articles.

In most cases, you will learn something but don’t know how to use it. That’s why you have to ask yourself, how can I use it?

The question can help you figure out how these suggestions really affect your life and career, not just inspire you.

If you are reading for inspiration, then you may not need this question. However, if the purpose of reading is to make changes and become a better version of yourself, then you need to figure out how to put knowledge into practice.

What should you do:

Think about it, when you were reading this article, did you ask yourself, “How can I use it”?

If you do, the answer is simple: because the purpose of this article is to tell you how to get the most information from everything you read, you can use this information whenever you read non-fiction content.

For example, you can write these three questions on a post-it note and put it on the first page of the book you are reading. This is a small reminder that can help you get the most information.

However, you can also create reminders on your computer desktop so that you can remember them when you browse online.

If these questions linger all the time, you will use them much more frequently.

Why should I use it?

The second question is about relevance.

Why is this information relevant to you? Why should you care about it? How can it change your business, relationships, and even life?

However, the real question is actually “the drunkard is not about drinking”: What is your ultimate goal? Why do you study? Is it to be inspired? Is it to show off that you have read a lot of books? Or is it for learning?

If you are looking for inspiration or showing off a book you have read, you may not care about its “relevance.” But if you are for more information, you need to think about it.

This canIt can slow down your reading speed, but it can ensure that you get the most out of every article.

What should you do:

If you want to ask yourself why you want to use what you’ve learned in this article, the answer is simple: because it allows you to get more from what you read, because they will ensure that you not only get inspiration, but Understand how to put information into practice.

If something feels irrelevant, we won’t bother to remember it. However, the problem is that most of the time if we simply browse through books and articles, it is difficult to say which information is really relevant and which is not.

This is why you should consciously ask yourself “Why should I use it” because it can help you distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information, filter out the useless, and leave the useful.

In the fragmented world overwhelmed by the flood of information, we need to learn how to filter all kinds of data, and develop new skills and methods, so as to achieve vigorous development in the 21st century.

——Mark Hyman

When can I use it?

The last question is about timing-when will you use what you have learned? Under what circumstances should it be used?

Similar to the relevance of content, considering timing can also help us figure out how to use information.

You may encounter a lot of very important and valuable suggestions, but if you can’t put them into practice, they are worthless.

Suppose you just started a business and read some books on leadership to learn how to manage employees. However, the problem is that you are currently only a polished commander and cannot even pay someone to work for you.

In this case, learning more about leadership is a good thing, but it doesn’t apply to the current you.

Instead, you should focus on learning more topics that have a practical impact on the status quo.

What should you do:

After figuring out how to use a specific information and why you want to use it, try to think of a specific application.

Under what specific circumstances can you apply what you have learned?

If you ask yourself this question now, the answer is obvious: you can use these three questions next time you read a book or an article.

Write at the end

In many cases, the question may be the most enlightening answer.

According to brain coach Jim KwAccording to ik, problems can guide our attention and play an important role in our lives:

Because people usually don’t ask enough questions when reading, which affects their concentration, understanding and memory.

Next time you want to read for a long time, set a timer and stop reading after a period of time (such as 20 minutes). Take a break, ask yourself what you’ve learned, and then look for the answers to the following three questions:

  • How can I use it?

  • Why should I use it?

  • When can I use it?

When you sit down and read non-fiction books, carry a notebook, some post-it notes, or use a computer to record, so you can always jot down how to apply what you have learned.

Don’t be afraid to draw lines, write, and make notes and comments on the book. After all, your goal is to learn from it and to be able to use that knowledge, not to build a shiny bookshelf.

Remembering what you have read will not only help you apply your knowledge to practice, but also help you recommend meaningful books to friends and family. Think about it, isn’t it cool?

Translator: Hi Tang