Learn how to improve with these resources

In this article, I would like to recommend some non-technical resources that have helped me become a more effective learner, set better goals and improve my focus, creativity and communication skills.

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Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash

Learning How To Learn

Online course at Coursera

  • Background: This is one of the best courses out there and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to become a more effective learner.
  • Length: Less than 10 hours of content
  • Takeaways:
    • Taking breaks (and activating the “diffuse” mode) helps you to solve problems
    • Changing your learning environment stimulates the brain
    • Procrastination can be overcome by taking the first step
    • Writing things down can free up your working memory

The Tim Ferriss Show

Podcast

  • Background: I love listening to this podcast. My favourites so far include Susan Garrett (dog trainer), Cal Fussman (author and journalist), Debbie Millman (designer) and Drew Houston (founder of Dropbox).
  • Length: approx. 2 hours each.
  • Takeaways:
    • Seek uncomfortable challenges
    • Keep a daily appreciation journal
    • You are the average of the people you spend the most time with
    • So many more

The Compound Effect — Darren Hardy

Book

  • Background: The idea behind this book is that results compound exponentially over time. An example would be to do one minute extra of exercise a day to improve health exponentially in the long-term.
  • Length: 162 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • Take 100% responsibility for what happens in your life
    • Tracking progress leads to success.

Never Split the Difference — Chris Voss

Book

  • Background: I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to improve their negotiation skills. In this book, Chriss Voss shares the lessons he learned as a hostage negotiator for the FBI.
  • Length: 288 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • Label the other person’s pain
    • Be wary of “Yes”
    • A smile on your face (and in your voice) can improve your mental agility

Originals — Adam Grant

Book

  • Background: I would recommend this book to anyone interested in knowing what it takes to be original.
  • Length: 326 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • There is a correlation between quantity and quality when generating new ideas
    • You don’t have to take unnecessary risk to be original

Deep Work — Cal Newport

Book

  • Background: I would recommend this book to everyone because I think we all need to improve our focus in a world full of distraction.
  • Length: 326 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • Avoid multitasking
    • Practice being bored
    • Take breaks to improve focus

The Asshole Survival Guide — Robert I. Sutton

Book

  • Background: This book is a valuable read for anyone who has to deal with different levels of jerks in their life.
  • Length: 224 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • Assholes attract Assholes
    • Negative behaviours are more difficult to stop than positive ones
    • It’s easier to resist at the beginning than at the end

Crucial Conversations - Kerry Patterson et al.

Book

  • Background: I would recommend this book to everyone. Each tip in this book has helped improve my conversation skills immensely.
  • Length: 240 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • In a heated moment ask yourself ‘What do I really want?’ This turns down the primitive fight or flight reactions and reminds us of our goal instead of trying to win or cause pain.
    • To respect someone you don’t respect you need to look for similarities
    • Whether we realise it or not, we are telling ourselves stories
    • Facts lay the groundwork for all delicate conversations
    • Don’t allow people to assume that the dialogue is the decision

Factfulness - Hans Rosling et al.

Book

  • Background: This book changed my perspective about the world
  • Length: 342 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • Don’t assume people are idiots. Ask yourself: ‘How could this be a smart solution?’
    • Don’t confuse no change with small change
    • Cultures change over time but it’s often forgotten how they were
    • If you blame the bad guy you are done with thinking
    • If you can’t track progress, you don’t know whether your actions are working

The Science of Well-Being - Yale

Online Course at Coursera

  • Background: This course taught me about the research behind happiness
  • Length: A few hours of content plus exercises
  • Takeaways:
    • If you have a bad feeling about something in the future ask yourself ‘What else might be happening at the time?’
    • Investing in experiences makes us happier than investing in stuff
    • We can learn to savour happy moments by writing or telling someone about it
    • People who prioritise time over money are happier on average
    • Exercise
    • Sleep
    • Meditate

Creative Confidence - Tom Kelley and David Kelley

Book

  • Background: This book helped me how to become more creative
  • Length: 288 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • Creative people simply do more experiments
    • Label an idea as an experiment
    • You have to make an effort to turn creativity into a habit
    • To reach a creative breakthrough you just need to start
    • Do a bad job first
    • Don’t let circumstances determine your fate

Super Thinking - Gabriel Weinberg and Lauren McCann

Book

  • Background: This book gave me a new set of tools to help me perceive common situations more clearly
  • Length: 354 pages
  • Takeaways:
    • When people seem to be doing harm it is often because they took the path of least resistance
    • Be wary of intuition in unfamiliar situations
    • As organisations get larger they tend to use the irreversible decision-making process for reversible decisions
    • Ben Franklin: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”
    • Be wary of the discount rate (ie. how outcomes are worth less far in the future)
    • Be wary of hindsight bias (especially to others). Not all events are predictable
    • Ideation is a maze

Timeline

  • November, 2020: Added Super Thnking
  • October, 2020: Added Factfulness
  • August, 2020: Added Crucial Conversations
  • September, 2018: Added Asshole Survival Guide
  • September, 2017: Originally published

David

Thanks for visiting Learn it my way! I created this website so I could share my learning experiences as a self-taught software developer. Subscribe to for the latest content if this interests you!

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David

Thanks for visiting Learn it my way! I created this website so I could share my learning experiences as a self-taught software developer. Subscribe to for the latest content if this interests you!