Because theory is not enough
“Leonardo Da Vinci was an expert learner, primarily because he was insatiably curious. Born in 1452, Da Vinci produced between 20,000 to 28,000 pages of notes and sketches about work-related subjects and everything else that interested him. He was curious about dozens of topics, including but not limited to anatomy, engineering, philosophy, painting, botany, physiology, landscapes, proportion, perspective, architecture, warfare, geography, zoology, light and shade, theories, and inventions. He started writing his journals when he was 26, and he continued writing for the rest of his life.”
See more at How to Learn Something Everyday
Pieces of Gold
I have committed to recording at least one worthwhile principle every day. Since 2015, I’ve distilled 3,000+ things that I have learned. These Pieces of Gold come from a vast array of sources, including intentional thoughts, books, tips, quotes, spiritual revelations, and insights about my marriage, my friendships, and my work environments.
I’ve collected ideas about topics like philosophy, leadership, business, productivity, self-improvement, determination, perseverance, and joy. This practice has singlehandedly changed my life, and I believe it can change yours as well.
This is an excerpt of my list from May 2018, when I crossed the 1,000 pieces of gold threshold. As I’ve recently completed my 3,000th Piece of Gold, the principles have only become more refined and potent for directing and stabilizing my learning.
“Leonardo DaVinci imagined, he asked, he learned, and he did very ordinary things in an extraordinary way. While his work may be unreplicable, his method isn’t, and it shows how we can nurture similar curiosity in our own lives.”
Purposeful Consolidation
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Mindless Consumption
In 2008, the average human being consumed around 34 GB of information a day.
Yet, the short-term memory is able to handle 7 unique pieces of information at one time.
Herein lies the issue with learning… we are taught to consume without consolidating.
What we need isn’t more content. We need an information diet, w whittling down of what we consume so that we can sift the dross from the silver and refine the gold. We need to sit with quality content, and this practice of Pieces of Gold has been the primary catalyst for me in this pursuit.