Learning Using Fundamentals

Goals

1. Describe “Learning Using Fundamentals”

2. Skillfully apply this method and get these rewards.

   1. Learning is super enjoyable
   2. You become competent
   3. Fewest drawbacks: {frustration, time, cost effort, and so on}

Learning Using Fundamentals: What and How

Let X represent anything that can be learned.

Learning using Fundamentals is a method for learning that involves the following actions.

1. Break X down into its fundamentals. Organize them using a checklist.

2. Progressively learn these fundamentals using Deliberate Practice (DP), as described by these steps.

   1. Identify the fundamental that will give you the highest payoff right now—this might be a weak area or a critical part of an upcoming task.

   2. Focus deeply on that fundamental and improve your knowledge and performance through systematic, focused, distributed, and repeated practice with feedback.

   3. When ready, move to the next high-payoff fundamental.

   4. Regularly engage in tasks that require you to combine multiple fundamentals in novel, real-world situations.

Repeat this cycle until you have mastered the set of fundamentals.

Why

Learning using Fundamentals is a sub-method of Deliberate Practice (DP).

People who learn using DP get multiple benefits: learning is highly enjoyable, they become competent and eventually excel, and they avoid many common drawbacks such as confusion or wasted effort.

Best of all, learning provides high payoffs. This is like playing poker and consistently winning tons of money.

Fundamentals

The fundamentals of a subject are the set of topics that are necessary and sufficient for achieving competence or even excellence.

Here’s what that means:

• Sufficient: If you learn these fundamentals, you will very likely become competent. If you continue to improve them through focused practice, you can excel.

• Necessary: You cannot become competent or excellent without learning these fundamentals.

In short: the fundamentals are the minimum set of essentials—master them, and you’ll have everything you need to succeed.