We need people with broader interests and skills. It’s good to learn one topic deeply. But try to broaden your passions. If you are more of a math person, learn about art, music, and literature. If you are more artistic, musical, or literary, learn some math and science! You don’t have to become a superstar. You just want to open doors that could h

This is the critical part. Look away from the page and see what you can recall. What are the key ideas on the page? Play them back in your mind. Or say them out loud to yourself. Do not simply reread the page over and over again. And don’t underline or highlight big amounts of text. Pulling the key idea from your own mind, instead of just reading o

Sleep provides the “mortar” that solidifies the walls of your learning.

This reemphasizes the fact that when you learn something new, you want to revisit it soon—before the dendritic spines and synaptic links begin fading. If the dendritic spines and synaptic links fade away, you have to start all over in the learning process. Build on what you’ve already learned. Look over your notes. Explain them to a friend. Make fl

So avoid “task switching” and interruptions when you’re focused on your studies.

Exercise helps create a chemical (BDNF) that is like food for your brain. Exercise releases chemicals that generate new ideas. Exercise is a great diffuse activity!

would actively recall key information. I tested myself after each new section by working on test problems. When I didn’t understand something from the book at first, I would look for videos on the internet—being careful not to get distracted. If that didn’t work, I would ask one of my students.

The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance,

Eat your frogs first. Start your most difficult work first. That way you can either finish it or take a break to let your diffuse mode help you.