The Feynman Technique: Master the Art of Learning

Richard Feynman (1918-1988) was one of the great scientists and physicists of our time, truly one of the great minds of humanity.

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself. And you are the easiest person to fool.

Step 1: Select a concept to learn.

Brainstorm your topics and try to get deeper and deeper connection.

Step 2: Teach it to a child.

Can you explain your chosen concept to a 12-year-old? Test your understanding by simplifying your notes.

Simplicity reveals a depth of understanding, while jargon often conceals ignorance.

Step 3: Review and Refine

Read it out loud as if to a child. If the explanation isn’t simple enough or sounds confusing, that’s a good indication that you need to reflect and refine.

Step 4: Organize and Review.

To test your understanding in the real world, present your explanation to someone else.

How effective was your explanation? What questions did they ask? What parts did they get confused about?