logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2019
1h 1m

Scott Young - Ultralearning

The Mad Fientist
About this episode

On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I’m excited to introduce Scott Young!

I first heard about Scott when he decided to complete MIT's entire computer science curriculum in a year.

Scott has taken on a lot of these types of impressive learning projects and he just wrote a great book about it – Ultralearning.

As you know, I’m attempting to tackle a very intimidating project myself so what better way to kick off that effort than with my own 3-month ultralearning project!

In today’s interview, we dive into the details of ultralearning and we design a new ultralearning project from scratch.

Ultralearning projects seem perfect for anyone who is FI or hopes to achieve financial independence one day so hope you get as much out of this discussion as I did!

Highlights

  • Why ultralearning can help you get to FI quicker (while making the journey more enjoyable)
  • How Scott was able to complete MIT’s computer science curriculum in one year
  • Why the first part of learning something new is the hardest and how to use ultralearning to get past that phase sooner
  • How to learn new languages as quickly and efficiently as possible
  • Details about my own ultralearning project and how Scott suggests I design it
  • The imporantance of breaking big goals into concrete stages
  • Why limiting scope is so important when diving into something new
  • What is meta-feedback and why it’s important
  • The power of direct practice and how to use drills to fix specific issues
  • What to do when you hit a block or a plateau in your learning
Up next
Sep 2024
Valuable Lessons from My Eighth Year of Freedom
In 2021, I decided to stop doing annual updates. At that time, I thought I had FI figured out and was just living a “normal” life (so no need to talk about it anymore). Well, a lot has changed since then. Turns out, I didn’t have everything figured out :/ I explain more in today’ ... Show More
19m 6s
Jul 2024
The Power of Quitting
Saving up a bunch of money gives you power - power you can use to make your life better and your journey to financial independence quicker. The only way to take advantage of the power though is to use it. Full Article: https://www.madfientist.com/power-of-quitting/ 
6m 18s
Jun 2024
Happiness Through Subtraction
If you want to use money to make you happier, stop thinking about what you can buy with it. Instead, think about how you can use it to remove the things in your life that make you unhappy. Full Article:  https://www.madfientist.com/happiness-through-subtraction/ 
7m 57s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
Scott Galloway's No Bullsh*t Business Advice for Creative People
Today on the Colin and Samir Show, we interview Scott Galloway. Scott is an entrepreneur, speaker, creator and marketing professor that we've admired for a long time. In this episode, we hear Scott's thoughts on the creator economy, his career advice for young people, predictions ... Show More
1h 21m
Jul 2020
How He Did It: His First 6-Figure Launch, w/ Kerry Egeler
Do you ever hear about 6-figure launches and wonder how in the world they pulled that off? Or how you could start making money like that? ‍‍Cut your lead gen costs in HALF with my $37 mini-course–NOW only $17!Visit The Art of Online Business website for Facebook Ads help‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍W ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 2024
Get Better at Anything (Three Pillars to Learning) | Scott Young
In today's episode, we explore the world of accelerated learning and skill mastery with Scott Young, a leading expert on self-directed learning and productivity. As the best-selling author of Ultralearning and Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery, Scott has transformed t ... Show More
1h 10m
Feb 2025
Scott Galloway: The BIGGEST Money Mistake That’s Keeping You Broke!
Do you track your spending?  What’s your biggest money mistake? In today’s episode, Jay welcomes Scott Galloway, one of the most insightful voices in personal finance and wealth creation. If you've been struggling to make ends meet, wondering why you're not earning enough, or see ... Show More
1h 30m
Aug 2024
Get Better at Anything
Today, we have Scott Young on the podcast.  Scott is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Ultralearning, a podcast host, computer programmer, and an avid reader. Since 2006, he has published weekly essays to help people learn and think better. His work has been featured ... Show More
1h 25m
Oct 2024
Why Following Your Passion Might Be Holding You Back with Scott Galloway
Ever wonder what true wealth is? In today’s episode, I sit down with Scott Galloway, a fierce thinker, NYU professor, and one of the most influential voices on business, technology, and modern society. Scott pulls no punches as he redefines what it means to be truly wealthy—and w ... Show More
1h 5m
Oct 2023
137. Kris Goodrich | Don't be an Entrepreneur
The World’s #1 Personal Development Book Podcast! In today’s episode we have the pleasure to interview Kris Goodrich, Author of “Don’t Be An Entrepreneur: Unless You Play a Different Way” Kris, started his entrepreneurial journey in highschool where he built a fire starter kit bu ... Show More
39m 25s
Mar 2025
E082 - Mark Tilbury’s Simple Guide to Making Your First $1Million (From ZERO)
Investing is often made to feel complicated—full of risky strategies and advice that feels out of reach for the average person. But this week’s guest Mark Tilbury is here to cut through the BS. After leaving school at 16 and building multiple successful businesses, Mark has spent ... Show More
1h 34m
Aug 2021
Scott Shute | The Full Body Yes
How does a kid who grew up on a farm in the midwest, who struggled with mental illness on a level that led him to contemplate taking his own life, end up a rising star in industry, author, and the Head of Mindfulness and Compassion at mega tech-company LinkedIn? More than that, h ... Show More
57m 7s