Learn by doing

When faced with a novel problem, try to solve it yourself first, with your own understanding, before seeking guidance.

You'll retain the answer better, even if your attempt fails (Arnold and McDermott, 2013); you'll get exposure to the convexity effects of trial and error; and you'll learn the important meta-skill of learning how to teach yourself.

The inverse of learn by doing is nonage. In his essay on the Enlightenment, Immanuel Kant defines, "Nonage [immaturity] is the inability to use one's own understanding without another's guidance. Dare to know! (Sapere aude.) 'Have the courage to use your own understanding,' is therefore the motto of the Enlightenment." (Kant, 1784)

Trust your own understanding and muster the courage of your convictions to first try, to do, and not be paralyzed by excessive theorizing.

References

Ahrens, S. (2017). How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers.

When we try to answer a question before we know how to, we will later remember the answer better, even if we failed in the attempt (Arnold and McDermott, 2013).

Unsorted connections

• Nassim Taleb, Antifragile, trial and error, and his approach to learning mathematics.
• Eric Weinstein on autodidacts, teaching yourself, Kung-fu Panda, and the importance of sequencing.
• The importance of doing and apprenticeships in the unselfconscious design process, from Notes on the Synthesis of Form.
• Always produce.