DeepSummary
In this podcast episode, Scott Young discusses his new book 'Get Better at Anything' and the science of mastery. He explains that the book explores the principles and ingredients that enable people to improve at skills, hobbies or activities, regardless of their current proficiency level. Young emphasizes that while talent plays a role, social learning from others and deliberate practice with feedback are crucial for mastering new abilities.
Young outlines three main steps in the learning process: 'see' (learning from others), 'do' (effortful practice), and getting feedback. He highlights the importance of techniques like retrieval practice and managing cognitive load. Young also draws parallels between the principles in his book and historical examples like the training methods of Renaissance artists.
Additionally, Young discusses factors like self-efficacy, motivation, and recognizing when different learning methods are appropriate based on one's current skill level. He argues that humans' ability to learn from others is a key distinguishing strength compared to other primates. The episode provides insights into the art and science of skill acquisition.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Understanding the art and science of learning can help people enjoy hobbies and work more.
- Talent exists, but factors like accumulated knowledge and the ability to learn from others are vital for mastery.
- Analyzing why you're getting stuck can reveal whether you need more instruction or simpler practice.
- Social learning from others is a key human advantage and driver of skill mastery.
- Deliberate, effortful practice with feedback is crucial for improvement, but the type of practice needed depends on one's current skill level.
- Techniques like retrieval practice and managing cognitive load can facilitate more effective learning.
- Self-efficacy and motivation play an important role in persisting through the learning process.
- The principles of mastery apply across diverse domains from renaissance art to modern games like Tetris.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The thing I bring this up is that why I was so interested in writing this book is because we all know the experience of things that you've spent a lot of time doing, and you're just, you don't get that much better at it or things that you tried it and you failed at it.“ by Scott Young
- “These principles that I've been sort of looking at have definitely played a factor because it's been looking at like, well, why am I getting stuck here? Like, when I'm having difficulties? And it's sort of like, well, is the issue that I need more instruction or is the issue that I'm trying to do practice, but the practice is too complicated and I need to make it simpler.“ by Scott Young
- “Part of the reason my interest in this subject is because I just have such a, like, a laundry list of things that I want to learn. So very selfishly, I'm, like, trying to learn it so that I can understand how those work.“ by Scott Young
- “This very much mirrors a lot of John Sweller's work with mathematics and learning. And I also think it's very interesting that in a similar way in artistic movements have kind of, you know, the pendulum swings back and forth.“ by Scott Young
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Episode Information
The Action Catalyst
Southwestern Family of Podcasts
5/10/24
Author, programmer, and entrepreneur Scott Young rejoins The Action Catalyst to talk about his book, "Get Better at Anything", including topics of discussion like what things it's NOT worth getting better at, what exactly IS "talent", the tension of learning, how these principles were on display during the Renaissance, the role of Tetris in all of this, and why monkey see is NOT monkey do.