Written by: September 1, 2024
How to remember everything valuable you read (including this):
Principle-First
Give me 3 minutes, and I’ll show you 5 proven steps to retain what you read.
So instead of wasting time and losing useful information, you can apply the knowledge and become your best self.
SUPERHUMAN SCORING
In every edition of System Sunday, I assess the featured system across three superhuman dimensions: impact, setup, and maintenance.
Unlike your typical review, I focus on factors that influence personal growth. Get to know the evaluation system.
Impact (9.5/10)
Meta-learning means learning how to learn.
It's the best investment you can make in your self-education.
Why’s that? It’s a skill that compounds to acquiring more knowledge and skills.
(The 5 strategies I’m about to share are all rooted in meta-learning.)
Here we go…
Setup (7.5/10)
1. Build a Second Brain
Imagine a system that captures and organizes your:
- Book notes
- Podcast notes
- Handwritten notes
- Photos, etc.
Your entire base of knowledge—always accessible.
I’ve built my second brain in Evernote, but Notion is another popular option.
I recommend Tiago Forte’s book Building a Second Brain to dive deeper.
2. Optimize Your Study Environment
Activate your 5 senses:
- 👂: Wear noise-canceling headphones
- 👁️: Hide bad triggers (phone)
- 👃: Use an aromatherapy diffuser (peppermint & lemon promote focus)
- 👋: Set a cool room temp for alertness
- 👅: Hydrate; stock healthy snacks
3. Follow the Feynman Technique
Richard Feynman was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.
His powerful 3-step learning technique:
- Step 1: Choose and study a concept.
- Step 2: Teach it to a child
- Step 3: Return to learning. Fill in knowledge gaps. Simplify further.
Let’s emphasize Step 2 of the Feynman Technique:
‘Teach it to a child.’
Look at the Learning Pyramid below.
It shows the effectiveness of various learning activities.
Transform a low retention activity (reading) to one that sticks (teaching).
(Side note: Although the specific retention rates in the learning pyramid lack strong empirical evidence, the model is still directionally accurate in highlighting the relative effectiveness of different learning methods.)
4. Use Spaced Repetition
Review material in short, systematic intervals.
You'll integrate more knowledge into your long-term memory.
Example of 60-day review process:
Try software like Readwise to automate the review—at an optimal cadence for retention.
Readwise stores your digital highlights from Kindle, Twitter threads, & more.
- Receive a daily email that surfaces highlights at an optimal pace for retention
- Quickly search your favorite passages
- Syncs to your Second Brain (Evernote, Notion…)
5. Create a Memory Palace (If Needed)
For times when you need to cram and won’t have reference material…
Memory Palace is how a normal guy like Joshua Foer became the US Memory Champion.
He wrote about it in his book, Moonwalking with Einstein.
Here's the mental hack: Our brains are wired to remember images better than words.
So transform words into visual mnemonics:
- Choose a place you know well
- Plan the route
- Have a list of what you want to memorize
- Place a mental image of each item in your palace
(Want to explore this further? I wrote a whole newsletter about the Memory Palace technique.)
Maintenance (7.5/10)
Each of these 5 methods is independently effective. Combine them for exponential results.
Of course, only applied knowledge is power. So make sure you’re integrating what you’re learning, too!
BRINGING IT HOME
Summary of Remembering Everything You Read:
- Build a Second Brain
- Activate Your 5 Senses
- Follow the Feynman Technique
- Use Spaced Repetition
- Create a Memory Palace (If Needed)
Happy reading and learning. 🤓
All systems go,
2 MORE WAYS I CAN HELP YOU
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