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 in the New York Times, Pocket, and Business Insider, on the BBC, and at TEDx among other outlets.
Scott joined us today to discuss his new book – Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into learning and skill development with Scott. From the debate around unlearning in psychology to the real-life examples of refining motor skills, we explore the complexity of acquiring new abilities. Scott’s expertise helps enrich our understanding of deliberate practice, problem-solving, and the power of imitation in creativity.
I really enjoyed this conversation with Scott, our second one, and I hope you do too.
[05:34] Learning is complex, with three main themes: learning from others, practice, and feedback.
[19:52] Embracing failure is important, but not always the best teacher for success.
[21:43] Success comes from learning by doing and having early victories is key for motivation and learning.
[32:02] Questioning value of extreme dedication and improvement in skill.
[42:08] Strategies include watching problem solving and detailed storytelling for knowledge retention.
[52:41] Learning through examples, feedback, and cognitive load in problem solving.
[1:07:40] Discussing mind as a muscle and transference for skill improvement.
[1:18:04] Learning new skills requires practice and consistency to overcome old habits and succeed under stress.
Connect with Scott Young
Website – https://www.scotthyoung.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/scotthyoung/
Twitter – https://x.com/ScottHYoung
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotthyoung/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@ScottHYoungVid
Books
Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery by Scott H. Young
Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career by Scott H. Young
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