FEYNMAN - A technique of legendary physicist to learn anything.
"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes
The Feynman Technique is an innovative teaching strategy that emphasizes clarity in order to develop deep understanding. It bears the name of American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman, who received the Nobel Prize in physics in 1965 for his ground-breaking research on quantum electrodynamics.
Without a doubt, Richard Feynman was intelligent. However, there are many smart people in the world. Feynman's genuine brilliance was acknowledged to be his capacity to explain complicated concepts in clear, beautiful ways.
He noticed that a lack of in-depth comprehension is sometimes covered up with complexity and jargon.
The Feynman Razor generally termed as: If someone uses a lot of complexity and jargon to explain something to you, they probably don’t understand it.
The Feynman Technique is a learning framework that requires you to develop a deep understanding of a given topic.
It involves four key steps: (1) Setting the Stage (2) ELI5 Rule (Explain It to Me Like I'm 5) (3) Assessment & Learning (4) Organizing, Conveying & Reviewing
1. Setting the stage
What topic would you like to study? Start with a blank page and write down your topic at the top and everything you know about it. Read and study the subject. Add new knowledge or ideas as they evolve.
2. ELI5 Rule
Here's where it becomes special: Try to explain the subject to a person who doesn't have a basic comprehension of it (a "kid"). Write down all of your knowledge about your subject on a blank piece of paper but act as though you are educating a young child. Write in plain English!
3. Assessment and Learning
Were you able to explain the topic to your child? Where are you mad? Where did it turn into jargon? This is a gap in your understanding! Read more and study to complete them.
4. Organizing, Conveying and Reviewing
Transform elegant, simple language into a clear and compelling story or narrative. Pass it on to a few others, then iterate and revise accordingly. Review a new and deeper understanding of the subject. Remember: Simplicity is beautiful.
The Feynman skill is a powerful framework for learning anything. The best entrepreneurs, investors and thinkers have used this technology whether they know it or not!
A genius they share: the ability to abstract complexity and communicate ideas in a simple, understandable way. Complex and intimidating. We all know people who try this. But don't be fooled. Complexity and jargon are often used to hide a deep lack of understanding. Get better.
Use the Feynman Method: Find Beauty in Simplicity.
Here are some of the principles deduced from Feynman's life.
1. Curiosity makes most people uncomfortable because they resist change.
Curiosity usually calls into question the basic assumptions of convention. Challenges, of course, threaten people's beliefs and generate resistance even when those beliefs are wrong.
2. Curiosity stirs up controversy by challenging conventional wisdom and conventions.
Feynman continued to rethink questions and shift focus during her time at MIT, providing unique perspectives and answers. “If everyone is defining a problem or solving it one way and the results are subpar, this is the time to ask, what if I did the opposite? Don't follow a model that doesn't work. If the recipe sucks, it doesn't matter how good a cook you are." — Tim Ferriss, 4-hour week.
3. People like to learn by rote, not rote.
Feynman tells the story of an MIT student and an Einstein student who couldn't put the theories they already knew into practice. Feynman concluded that many people prefer to memorize because they do not want to understand.
“Change is the result of all true learning.” - Leo Buscaglia.
4. We understand that anyone can have good ideas.
Early on, Feynman, like everyone else, was often underestimated. He realized that empowerment doesn't make you insightful, understanding can come from anyone.
5. The best minds prefer challenge to submission.
The famous physicist Niels Bohr called Feynman "... the only guy who’s not afraid of me and will say when I’ve got a crazy idea...". The best minds see the lack of criticism as a problem.
6. T-shaped people (Polymath) use both depth and breadth of knowledge.
Feynman was a deep and broad thinker. This allowed him to see synergies as an interdisciplinary professional while also being successful as a skilled physicist.
7. Be curious and experiment with what you like, even if your mind has no end.
"Anyone who stops learning, whether at twenty or eighty, is old." - Henry Ford.
After working on the atomic bomb, Feynman suffered from burnout. He decided to return to the fun experiment without thinking about the ultimate goal. These experiments led to work that won
him a prestigious noble prize.
8. The more you learn, the more opportunities you create for yourself.
Feynman was a physicist, but his curiosity led him to paint, learn new languages, and pick up a few musical instruments, leading to unique performances, exhibitions, and tours. This condition also extended to his chosen profession.
9. Don't be afraid to fail.
Feynman's willingness to fail has led to his multidisciplinary and professional success. Each setback was an opportunity to learn and grow from what didn't work. I guess that's why children learn new languages quickly.
“An expert is someone who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.” — Niels Bohr
10. Be an explorer. Everything is an experiment.
Feynman saw life as a series of experiments, where he could try new things and learn from the results. Rather than defending inherited ideas, he even questioned established ideas. If the assumptions are false, he has discovered something. If they held out, he understood them better.
Conclusion
Intellectual curiosity is the foundation of innovation and learning. There is no excuse as the information is readily available. "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest" - Benjamin Franklin. If you really want to learn something, READ about it. If you want to understand something, WRITE about it. If you want to master something, TEACH it. ° What matters is to Start small. ° No one is perfect. People will ask questions. Let them & learn from them. ° Learn from others.
Thanks for reading…
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