If you clicked on the title and are new friends on this channel, let me introduce myself.

For all friends, you can just skip this part.

I'm Zoe.

I often talk about topics related to language learning on this channel.

Over the past eight years, I've learned six foreign languages, including English.

I switched my bachelor's major from communication in China to sociology for my master's degree in France, then pursued a PhD in sociology in France and in Germany.

Now I'm starting to systematically study psychology and neuroscience.

I've taught myself how to shoot and edit videos to become a content creator.

Additionally, I've learned swimming, fitness, yoga, writing, cooking, and even how to repair electronics.

I've acquired all these skills after my 20s, especially after moving abroad.

Basically, I love learning new knowledge and skills that make me feel more independent.

Especially, I'm alone abroad.

I also realized that the ability to learn fast is actually something that can be developed.

In today's video, I will combine my experiences with insight from the book Outer Learning by Scott H.

Young.

Maybe you guys have already heard of him.

The author of this book learned to draw in a month, learned four languages in a year, and completed MIT's four-year computer science curriculum in just one year.

While we won't focus on the level he achieved, his approach to summarizing the faster learning path is very inspiring.

Many of the methods introduced in this book resonate with my own learning experiences.

The purpose of today's video is to help you develop a more systematic approach to learning new things and make your efforts more effective.

So whether you want to switch career paths, take on new challenges, or dream of playing a musical instrument, speaking a foreign language, becoming a writer or photographer, or a YouTuber, I believe that Outer Learning is a powerful toolset.

If you like this video, don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe.

Before I start talking about specific methods, I would like to emphasize the importance of changing your perception and mindset.

I mentioned in my On Journey video that the turning point in my life began with the shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

It's easy for adults to fall into the mindset of it's too late to learn at this age, or I don't have the talent to learn without even trying.

Some may even think that's the best time to learn a foreign language or a musical instrument is during childhood, so parents tend to pin their hopes on their kids.

In fact, psychological research shows that adults can learn just as effectively and quickly as children.

Staying active and learning can even boost adult brain development.

This brings us to the importance of a growth mindset, which requires us to re-examine our own abilities, challenge our fixed mindset, and start by telling ourselves that ability can be developed through dedication and step in becoming a lifelong learner.

Next, I'm going to talk about some of the principles of ultra-learning.

The concept of meta-learning means learning how to learn.

Unfortunately, it's often overlooked, but it's one of the most important aspects of learning.

Before you start self-study, it's crucial to invest time in understanding how to effectively learn the subject or skill you are interested in.

This involves identifying relevant resources and methods, understanding your personal learning style, and creating a clear learning plan.

One effective principle from Yang's book is the 10% rule.

Spend 10% of your total learning time researching how to learn the skill.

For me, this initial investment isn't about creating a perfect plan but includes trial.

Initially, you should set learning goals, even if they are broad at first.

For instance, you might decide to learn French.

After watching a movie, you would like to learn to communicate during a trip to France.

An A1 level or traveling French could be your first learning goal.

The vital step in this process is searching.

Searching for information is the first step in turning your ideas into action.

The internet is full of information that can help you transform vague ideas into clear plans.

For example, when I decided to learn Arabic, my goal was to discover the language.

I immediately searched for vlogs, YouTube videos, and checked for any free courses at my university.

This led me to an introductory course on the Arabic alphabet where I met the teachers and classmates who provided additional resources.

Today, we can even use AI tools such as ChatGBT to generate such initial plans and ask for give me general steps from a weekly training plan to teacher training programs, international certificates, or related books.

Then, I would check them out to create a clear learning roadmap.

The great thing about this roadmap is that it can provide clear direction.

Another key strategy is expert interviews.

Talk to people who have relevant experience or have achieved your desired goal.

They can offer valuable direction and advice helping refine your roadmap.

For instance, I consulted a classmate who had studied Arabic to a very good level.

She not only gave me her beginner's voice but also recommended a teacher who offered free Arabic courses at our university, guiding me to focus on learning Fusa first and then dialect.

Another method is benchmarking, which involves identifying common strategies used by others to learn the same skill.

This helps you decide an initial learning strategy.

For example, to systematically study neuroscience, I would review the syllabus of relevant courses online or at a university.

By the way, some introductory open courses on YouTube or Coursera could also be a great way to discover a new topic in a structured way.

Meta-learning has long-term benefits because you understand your learning style better, improve your ability to manage time and motivation, and develop effective strategies for overcoming common obstacles.

This accelerates your ability to learn new skills.

If you ask how I have learned six foreign languages in eight years, it's actually become progressively easier and faster because each new language follows a clearer path and avoids previous mistakes.

As you gain more learning experiences, your confidence grows, you enjoy the learning process more, and you also know how to manage frustration.

You know, the best way to learn is to apply what you learn.

Some might say, how can I apply it when I haven't learned it yet?

The idea here is to break away from the traditional theory-first learning method and combine learning goals with practical application right from the start.

Scott Young points out that traditional education often teaches us theory after theory, expecting us to apply these theories in practice.

However, when we learn something, many of us get confused if we encounter a different situation.

This is especially true in language learning.

We have this problem because most formal education isn't direct enough.

So when we learn new things, we should try to connect as directly as possible with the scenarios where we want to use these skills, build knowledge from the core of a real-life situation outward.

For example, if your goal in learning a foreign language is to communicate with people, after mastering basic pronunciation and grammar, you can start practicing spoken conversations directly instead of focusing on grammar books, textbooks, and word lists, thinking you need to reach a certain level before you can start speaking.

When I was learning Turkish and Persian, my goal was very clear.

I want to travel and communicate with people.

So after two weeks of self-study, I studied basic conversations with language partners, beginning with greeting, describing daily activities, and setting scenarios such as ordering food in a restaurant or asking for directions.

These directly targeted my learning goals.

We can still use textbooks and grammar books as something supplementary.

Many polyglots I've interviewed on my channel also say that to improve speaking skills, you need to start speaking from the beginning.

These principles and methods are equally applicable to other fields such as coding, drawing, playing musical instruments, videography, photography, sports.

Focus is definitely the key to efficient learning.

Many of you may have heard of a flow state.

When people are in a flow state, they are very concentrated and fully engaged in the current activity.

This concept introduced by psychologist Csikszentmihalyi is an important topic in positive psychology research.

The flow state typically occurs when the person's skill level matches the challenge they face.

Neither too simple to cause a burden, nor too difficult to cause anxiety.

Therefore, it is important to set appropriately challenging learning content and clear specific goals so you know what you need to accomplish.

As I mentioned early in the first step, meta-learning, creating clear tasks and realistic objectives will help you stay more focused during learning.

Additionally, I want to share a few methods I use to enhance focus.

Keep your study area tidy and reduce distractions.

I always place my phone out of sight.

For instance, when I need to learn something online, I close unrelated pages, no emails, no social media.

It's important to realize that the fast-paced, chaotic information on social media increases cognitive load, tires our brain and affects our attention and memory.

Excessive dopamine stimulation makes us distracted during study or work, frequently checking forums and social media.

So social media detox is important to improve your focus.

I set screen time limits on my phone, like using Instagram for only 30 minutes per day.

Once the time is up, the app locks.

I also track my daily screen time to remind myself to control usage.

Avoid long, continuous study sessions.

Methods like Pomodoro techniques and time-boxing are great for balancing study and rest.

I think I have a lot to share on improving focus.

I can also make an entire video about it.

If you're interested in, leave a comment.

This principle involves isolating and reinforcing the weakest aspects of a skill to achieve overall improvement.

For example, in fitness, if your goal is to increase overall strength and muscle mass, and more specifically to practice a full-motion squat because it's a compound movement and it benefits all muscle groups, you might realize that your knee strength or hip mobility is weak, which can affect the depth and weight of your squat.

So you would look up exercises to learn to find methods through research and overcome them with repetitive practice.

Additionally, you should alternate between direct practice and repetitive practice during learning.

Direct practice involves engaging in the skills you want to learn, such as speaking a language, improve writing skills, or filming videos to enhance shooting and presentation skills.

Next, analyze these direct practices and try to isolate some elements.

Identify areas that need improvement and engage in targeted training.

For example, if you find difficulties in pronunciation or vocabulary during speaking practice, you can add more specific exercises for a period of time.

The earlier you start alternating practice, the more adept you become at analyzing and improving, the faster you can improve your skill.

This kind of alternating practice is tough and many people avoid it.

However, if you want to learn fast, you must face difficulties quickly, solve problems, and overcome weaknesses instead of staying in what you are already good at.

The last point I would like to share is the importance of viewing your learning process with an experimental mindset.

This experimental mindset is also a growth mindset.

It involves believing in your ability to improve and grow and not fearing mistakes.

When studying a new skill, we often find someone better than us and follow their method to learn and progress.

This is useful in the earlier stages of learning because everyone starts the same, first imitating then creating.

However, as your skills improve, only relying on role models won't be enough.

As skills develop, everybody encounters different problems and solves them in different ways.

Many problems require personal exploration and solutions to find a unique path.

Moreover, as you use your skills, you might hit the plateau.

At this point, instead of complaining or giving up, stay patient and be solution-oriented.

This process might develop your unique understanding and perspective, solve problems others can't, and eventually create your own learning style.

As you learn more and faster, the challenge becomes not how to learn but how to learn faster, how to learn better, and what to learn next.

Fast learning isn't easy.

It requires planning, time, and effort.

Most importantly, it requires action and practice.

But trust me, the reward of learning how to learn is lifelong.

There are still many new skills I want to learn which keeps me passionate and motivated in life.

There's so much interesting stuff in this world.

I hope today's sharing helps you.

If you are particularly interested in any topics from this video and want to know more about it, please let me know in the comments.

See you in the next one.

Bye!