N.B. In my previous letter, Learn Anything Fast, I shared insights on how to quickly acquire new skills and knowledge.

Today, I want to take that a step further by introducing the concept of the "New School" and providing a practical framework to help you put these ideas into action.

If you haven’t read the previous letter, I’d suggest you do that first.

Let’s get into it.

I always had a dislike for school—And school seemed to have a dislike for me.

As a matter of fact, I had to start over a class year not once, but twice. I often got into trouble. My parents were frequently called in to discuss my lack of interest, poor grades, and disturbances.

Was it because I had below-average intelligence?

I hope not.

It was because I lacked trust in the education system and because I was bored.

Philosophy was my favorite class until someone ruined it for me. We were supposed to recite philosophers’ thoughts verbatim. I thought we were there to learn how to think, so I did—and got punished for it.

New ideas, expansion— they were not welcomed. The teacher argued that I was supposed to remember and recite the thoughts we learned.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Maybe I just had a lousy teacher. But my dislike for the whole school system was deep-rooted.

I didn’t get the rigid rules. No room for self-exploration, sharing ideas, or collaboration.

I also did not understand the skills that they were trying to teach us. It was like they were just preparing us to obey, follow directions, learn and recite.

Were they preparing us to be employees and not think for ourselves?

As I grew older, I discovered that I wasn't alone.

People are losing trust in the education system. I would argue they never truly had trust in it; it was just the only option they knew/was available.

I learned most of the information I actually use and profit from online, not from school.

If you want a limited income, stick to the conventional route. But if you want an unlimited income, embrace the digital route and self education.

Proof by Case

Everything you need is available online. Most of it is free.

I built my real estate investment firm from various websites, blog posts, a couple of masterminds, and paid courses.

These resources have been invaluable, providing practical, up-to-date information that I could immediately apply to my business.

The Big Problem with Traditional Education

Traditional education dumps a lot of theory on us with little practical use. It’s one-size-fits-all and doesn’t adapt to individual needs or changing industries.

This rigidity means that many people leave school feeling unprepared for the real world, armed with outdated knowledge and skills.

School doesn’t teach you how to make or manage money.

School doesn’t teach you how to find your zone of genius, or how to find your life’s work.

Most classes are taught by teachers who’ve never done what they’re teaching. None of my business teachers ever founded a successful company.

Why would you want to learn how to build a business from someone who never built a business?

The Solution: Modern Self-Education.

Online platforms have tons of courses and materials.

You can tailor your learning to fit your needs.

The best part is, you can learn from someone just a couple of steps ahead of you, someone who’s just solved the problem you’re facing.

It’s all about getting those specific, actionable solutions that keep you moving forward quickly.

Be the boss of your own education.

Now, I can already hear you say that online learning isn’t as credible as traditional degrees or that it takes a lot of self-discipline.

Finding good content can be a pain. But if you know how to sort through the crap, it’s actually pretty simple.

You need to:

  1. Identify Your Goals: Define what you want to achieve and set clear learning objectives.

  2. Curate Resources: Pin Point reputable sources like YouTube channels, paid courses, and informative articles.

  3. Use AI: to help you speed up the process of gathering and sorting through large amounts of data.

  4. Schedule Learning Time: Dedicate specific times for learning to build a consistent routine.

  5. Engage with the Community: Join forums, groups, and networks related to your field of interest to share insights and gain support.

  6. Apply Knowledge: Implement what you learn through real-life projects and practical applications.

Now that you have an understanding of the approach, let me show you my exact process of learning.

My Personal Method for Learning New Skills

Here’s a step-by-step guide, going beyond the basics to give you a comprehensive framework.

I’ll walk you through each step, and a timeline to keep it all under (an average of*) 20 hours—not including the mandatory 24 hour break.

I might have to revisit this list shortly because ChatGPT is releasing SearchGPT, which might reorder this considerably. I am currently on the waitlist, so stay tuned for that.

2. Articles into ChatGPT

3. Perplexity.AI for Depth

This is where it gets interesting..

This step is longer because the tool suggests additional questions that you may not have thought of, increasing your chances of going down a rabbit hole—which is good. Example:

Search for “Does mood interfere with the capacity to retain information” — Perplexity.AI

4. Top 10 YouTube Videos

5. Consolidate Information

6. Take a Break

This step is crucial. Do not bypass it.

7. Focused Writing

8. (Bonus) Identify a Big Problem

Total Time: 14 to 25 hours (plus a 24-hour break)

By following this method, you can efficiently learn new skills and knowledge in an average of 20 hours.

This approach is practical, focused, and designed to maximize retention and application.

Leveraging AI for Learning (Not writing)

A few weeks back, I wrote an article on how AI is killing Creativity. While I stand by that, I firmly believe the tools available should be used to help you learn faster. The writing part should always be done manually.

ChatGPT and Perplexity.AI are incredible tools for enhancing your learning process. To recap:

Important Notes

That’s 52 new things you’ve learned, multiplied by the number of people who have read it.

Then you could make a course, condense everything together, write a book, and self-publish it. That could be a gift to your family members, friends, or you could even sell them.

If it’s valuable to you, it will be valuable information to others.

Imagine doing this for 10 years. With an average of 2000 words per article/newsletter, that’s 1,040,000 words written, enough to organize them into 13 books (+/- 80,000 words per book.) 🤯

That’s pretty much a mini library of your best findings and acquired knowledge you can pass along to the next generation. What an amazing gift it would be to receive as a child.

Hey Dad, I know you’ll be reading this letter. And yes.. I also know these tools weren’t available when the wheel was invented. So

Final Thoughts

The traditional education system has its limits, but with the New School approach, you're in control.

Customize your learning journey and leverage endless online resources to stay flexible and continually grow.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Embrace Modern Education: Tailor your learning to fit your needs and pace.

  2. Effective Learning Techniques: Break down skills, eliminate distractions, and commit to focused practice.

  3. Practical Application: Apply what you learn through real-life projects and share your knowledge to reinforce understanding.

Take charge of your education, stay curious, and keep growing. The future belongs to those who are adaptable and proactive in their learning journey.

Strategizingly yours,

Ben.

P.S. If you found this newsletter helpful, don’t be selfish. Forward it to a friend who needs to hear this message too.

P.P.S Are you that friend? Well, he of she is awesome for sharing. Why don't you subscribe and be the one spreading the wisdom next week?