Whitney OBanner

Ultralearning

A book I’m reading now is called Ultralearning by Scott H. Young. It breaks down 9 core principles of ultra learners who are able to perform seemingly miraculous feats, like winning Scrabble competitions and learning multiple languages within a few months. Some key takeaways from the book, in addition to other materials[1] I am studying about learning:

Dive In

Learn by doing. This is the principle of direct learning. The practical experience gained by doing ... Read more

Exiting Validation Loops

If you ever want to understand someone’s life, ask them what they’re optimizing for.

Most people don’t know. They say they want to be successful, or happy, or “make an impact,” but those are abstractions. What they’re actually optimizing for—day to day—is often more specific: getting promoted, getting published, getting likes, gaining followers. And behind these, there’s usually a deeper structure: the loop of institutional validation.

Institutional validation loop... Read more