How to Approach New Topics

I’ve been listening to the audio version of How to Take Smart Notes as I do chores around my house and take care of my newborn daughter. Really just as a way to keep my sanity. I didn’t have any expectation of really getting the full value of this book on this first listen/read (depending on how you view the process of listening to an audiobook). But one observation had a profound impact on me immediately.

In chapter 10, section 3, there is a quote about Richard Feynman and how he considered himself to be understanding a new topic when he could give an introductory lecture on it. That hit me hard.

For a long time, I’ve been trying to recapture a feeling that I had since I was a Software Development Boot Camp Instructor at We Can Code IT. I thought that it is a passion for teaching, and that may very well be present. But this quote made me realize that what I really miss is the opportunity to make content with the intent of teaching others. That was what was really rewarding and fun about that job.

The key take away, approach every new topic like you are going to teach it to a class:

• Take notes
• Refine the notes
• Build outlines
• Make slide decks
• Build example projects

Looking forward to exploring this more!