UltraLearning: It's How to Master Any Skill (in Record Time)
A boy named Scott Young did the unthinkable.
In 2011, something amazing happened. A boy named Scott Young did the unthinkable. He completed four years of MIT's computer science syllabus in just one year!
Incredible, right?
People thought he was a genius. But get this—he did it by watching free YouTube videos and MIT's free courses on their website.
That's not all. In just 30 days, Scott went from painting basic-level art to creating professional-level masterpieces. And while doing this, he also learned a whole new language—Spanish.
Naturally, everyone was stunned. They begged him to share his secrets.
So, Scott started blogging and wrote a book called "Ultralearning." In it, he shared nine principles for learning anything fast.
The 9 Ultralearning Principles
Let's dive into these nine principles.
1. Meta Learning
Start with a Roadmap
Break down your knowledge into four parts:
Known Known: Things you know you know—like typing, riding a bike, or taking selfies.
Known Unknown: Things you know you don’t know—like building rockets or flying planes.
Unknown Known: Things you do without realizing you know—like tying shoelaces or brushing teeth.
Unknown Unknown: Things you don’t even know exist—like inheritance in coding if you’re new to it.
Here's the deal:
When you start learning something new, you want to move it to the "Known Unknown" category FAST.
For example, if you want to learn SEO, quickly read a few articles and watch some YouTube videos to get a rough idea.
Just enough that you start asking questions like, “How do I find the right keywords?” and "What makes a good backlink?". Jot down 8-10 questions.
Bottom line:
Before you start learning something new, make a plan. This helps you see what you don’t know and learn better.
Boom! You've completed the meta learning stage.
2. Focus
Sharpen your ability to concentrate.
Picture this:
In the 18th century, there was a girl named Mary Somerville. She loved learning math, but at that time, women weren't allowed to study it. They were supposed to learn cooking and sewing.
One day, her aunt saw her studying math and told her mother. Her mother tried to stop her. But Mary didn't give up.
She solved math problems in her mind at night when the candles were out.
Even after she got married and had children, she worked on math problems while breastfeeding. She had intense focus.
Shortly after, Mary became the first woman selected by the Royal Astronomical Society.
Bottom line:
You need to really focus on what you want to learn. Keep thinking about it all the time.
SEO Example: Spend time each day learning SEO without distractions. Turn off your phone, find a quiet place, and pay close attention. Whether you're reading a blog or watching a video, stay focused.
3. Directness
Go straight into application.
Meet Vatsal Jaiswal. He moved from India to Canada to become an architect. He applied for many jobs but got rejected.
Then, he decided to take a job at a printing shop where top architects printed their plans. Vatsal studied these plans and learned from the best.
He created his own portfolio and applied for three jobs.
Guess what? He got all three!
Bottom line:
Use what you learn in real life. Put yourself in situations where you can use your knowledge.
SEO Example: Make your own blog or website to practice SEO. Write posts, use important keywords, and get other sites to link to yours. Doing this will help you see what works and what doesn’t.
4. Drill
Attack your weakest point.
Here's a fun fact: Benjamin Franklin wanted to become a writer, but his handwriting was awful.
He read "The Spectator" magazine and noticed the authors wrote interesting stories.
So, he decided to rewrite their stories in his own words.
Over time, his writing improved. He finally wrote his own story, submitted it under a fake name, and it got accepted.
Bottom line:
Find what you're not good at and practice until you get better. Don't avoid things you can improve.
SEO Example: If keyword research is hard for you, work on it. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs. Keep practicing finding keywords for different topics until you improve.
5. Retrieval
Use self-testing to learn.
Learn a little, then test it in the real world. The smaller the learning-testing cycle, the faster you learn.
Bottom line:
Practice what you learn often. It helps you remember things better.
SEO Example: After you learn about meta descriptions, try writing a few for different blog posts. Check if they follow the rules and make more people click on your posts.
6. Feedback Cycle
Don’t dodge the punches.
Improve with negative feedback. The sooner you know where you're making mistakes, the sooner you can fix them and improve.
Bottom line:
Listen to feedback, especially the bad stuff. It shows you where to get better.
SEO Example: Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to see how your website is doing. If a page isn't doing well, figure out why and fix it.
7. Retention
Stop the leakage.
Nigel Richards won the French World Scrabble Championship, even though he didn't speak French. How? By retaining what he learned through constant practice.
You can do the same by practicing regularly to retain knowledge and skills.
Bottom line:
Practicing often helps you remember what you learn. Keep practicing so your skills stay strong.
SEO Example: Keep learning about SEO and update what you know. SEO changes a lot, so learn about the newest ideas and ways. Look back at your plans and make them better when you learn new things.
8. Intuition
Dig deep, then build up.
Richard Feynman, Albert Einstein’sfavorite physicist, scored the highest in a math exam where the median score was zero.
He developed this intuition through a short feedback loop.
The faster you get feedback, the quicker you develop intuition. Intuition is crucial for becoming an expert in any field.
Bottom Line:
Develop your intuition by repeatedly practicing and learning from your mistakes. Intuition comes from deep, hands-on experience.
SEO Example: After working on multiple SEO projects, you'll start to get a feel for what works and what doesn't. This intuition will help you make quicker and better decisions in future projects.
9. Experimentation
Explore beyond your comfort zone.
Fail fast and adopt a growth mindset. Arnold Schwarzenegger took belly dancing lessons to improve his bodybuilding poses. Learning from other fields can help you grow. Exchange skills and learn from others to improve yourself.
Bottom line:
Try new things and don’t worry if they don’t work out. When things don’t go as planned, it’s a chance to learn something new.
SEO Example: Try new SEO techniques or tools, even if they seem unconventional. Experiment with different content types, link-building strategies, or social media integrations to see what boosts your rankings.
What can happen?
Follow these nine rules of Ultralearning, and you'll see amazing results in your learning journey.
First, break down what you need to learn into smaller parts. Then, focus intensely on each part, applying it directly to real-life situations.
Don’t be afraid of challenges or making mistakes—use them as opportunities to learn and improve. Seek feedback from others to understand where you can do better.
Finally, try new approaches and techniques to see what works best for you. With persistence and curiosity, you'll master new skills faster than you ever thought possible.
Now, It's Your Turn to Take Action
I want you to write down answers to these three questions in the comments below (right now):
What have you learned from this post?
How will you apply these lessons?
What are your personal commitments for implementation?
See you in the comments!
Talk soon,
Rahul Giri 🍉