Richard Feynman (1918–1988) is regarded by many as the most important theoretical physicists of our time. A brilliant, albeit eccentric thinker, Feynman had a knack for simplifying the most complex of concepts and explaining them in a way that his students, with no prior knowledge, could easily understand.
To do that, he developed a mental model called, “The Feynman Technique,” which you can use to learn new concepts, bridge knowledge gaps, recall big ideas from nonfiction books, and study more efficiently.
The Feynman Technique has three simple steps:
First, write the name of a topic you want to understand at the top of a piece of paper.
To prepare for this newsletter, I wrote, “The Feynman Technique” at the top of a Google Doc and then wrote down what I knew based on what I read in Scott H. Young’s book, Ultralearning.
Then, I researched online and added new sources of information to help me better understand the concept. You can apply this step to a book you’re reading, a class you’re taking, and more.
Next, explain the idea as if you were teaching it to a sixth-grade student.
To paraphrase Shane Parrish, there’s a difference between knowing something and knowing the name of something. You might be able to explain to a child a toy dog moves because of energy (the name of something), but the real answer is the spring is wound, unwinds, and pushes the gear around—that’s knowing something. [2]
Finally, identify gaps between what you know and what you need to know to understand the concept better.
Once you have explained the concept in your own words, review your notes once more. Remove any jargon that might have slipped through the cracks. Organize what’s left into a simple narrative.
Read it aloud. Can you imagine presenting what you have to a classroom full of five-year-olds? If not, go back to your book, notes, or reference material to bridge the remaining gaps in your knowledge.
The Feynman Technique takes practice to perfect, but with enough patience, it’s an indispensable learning aid.
Notes
[1] Scott H. Young introduced me to The Feynman Technique in his book, Ultralearning.
[2] Richard Feynman: The Difference Between Knowing the Name of Something and Knowing Something.
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