I was top of my class, but I quit to become a homeschooler:
Why do I not trust the school system?
Because I felt empty inside & schools do not create challenging, innovative talents for the future
Here is my story 🧵
I'm 18.
I’m obsessed with learning how to learn.
So, I spent 200+ hours studying how geniuses, prodigies, and high performers master their disciplines.
Here's what I found on how to master anything faster:
There is a guy on TikTok who asks anyone 30 to 100 y.o their:
• Worst regrets
• Biggest lessons
•
#1
Advice to the next gen
I scrolled for like 30 min and found some patterns...
My top 9:
The 4 stages of mastery
To gain mastery, first define mastery.
The 4 stages of mastery are a good mental model that provides you the path to learn faster.
Let me explain:
The obsession for mastery.
"Mastery — the feeling that we have a greater command of reality, other people, and ourselves." Robert Greene
Aristotle, Plato, Feynman, Edison...
When analyzing these talents, this is the one theme that keeps on appearing.
Look at this guy.
He is a Harvard professor who trains MBAs, CEOs, and world leaders on the science of happiness.
His courses are sold on the black market.
His message? Committing to faith is the greatest source of fulfillment.
This is Arthur Brooks's Happiness Formula:
Steve Job dropped out
Nikola Tesla never graduated
Albert Einstein got bad grades
Thomas Edison was self-taught
Abraham Lincoln was homeschooled
In the academic setting, NONE of them were supposed to be anything but average.
But what made them so special?
Conscious Competence (Learning)
The enlightenment phase.
If mastery was climbing a mountain, this would be the last but steepest rise. One hiccup can undo hours of effort.
You perform tasks well but still require effort to execute.
I’m 18.
I'm obsessed with mastery.
I spent 200+ hours studying how prodigies, geniuses, and experts master their craft.
To my surprise, everything I knew had been carefully crafted into Beth Harmon in Chess Gambit…
A thread on chess, mastery, and meaning:
You see a master at work when you see their eyes, focus, simplicity, and elegance.
Masters turn the impossible into the ordinary.
These subtle patterns help you identify masters, but I've found a better mental model to spot the exceptional:
When focused on higher-order thinking, we automatically fill the lower order.
Instead of:
• rereading → use more analogy
• flashcards → map out the big picture
• rote memorization → teach it to an imaginary friend
Never confuse studying with real learning.
Be obsessed with truth:
Your north star for learning.
Human beings are born with a thirst for knowledge. The objective of knowledge is truth.
This was our compass as kids, but sadly a skill as adults.
In 1971, one of the most controversial psychology experiments occurred.
For 14 days, 12 guards and 12 prisoners turned Stanford into a real life prison.
The goal? To understand how any good person can suddenly become evil.
This is the Stanford Prison Experiment:
Higher order thinking
There are 2 types of thinking:
• Lower order: memorization, understanding, applying.
• Higher order: analyzing, evaluating, creating.
In simplest form, the more you connect and test relationships between ideas, the more you remember.
Plant your tree of knowledge
Think of knowledge as a tree. 80% of details are leaves attached to branches and multiple branches glued to the 20% trunk.
Most people pick up leaves, while experts strengthen the chunks.
A strong trunk can withstand any challenge.
Unconscious Competence ( True Mastery)
Mozart with piano, Stephen Curry with 3pts, Feynman with physics.
Associated with the state of flow and peak performance. The skill is wired in your subconscious. It now takes more effort to do it WRONG.
This is mastery.
Develop a radar for learning.
When faced with a challenge, we blame it on something or someone or run away. We fear it affects our ego and end up in a life of escaping the discomfort.
But that same discomfort and struggle are the keys to growth (cognitive load theory).
Conscious Incompetence (Awareness)
Usually, the most frustrating stage where 90% will quit.
This is the first awakening call.
You gained self-awareness of your limitations and understand the difficulty of the skill.
Unconscious Incompetence (Ignorance)
We start here. The dangerous land of unknown unknown.
You are unaware of problems and don't recognize the importance of improving.
Most people are average.
It's hard to get past the first 2 stages of confusion and hopelessness. But if you've read this far, I know this is not you.
So if you want to become a master at anything faster, here's how:
In the last 6 months, I have been obsessed with metacognition ~ AKA learning how to learn
After 127+ hours of practicing and improving my techniques
I found 3 simple questions that helped me learn basically anything faster, and easier:
Embracing Failures
The fear of failure has ended more dreams than any alarm clock.
When tackling novelty, expect failure by default. It's not your fault; it is natural.
“Pain + reflection = progress”
Every mistake paired with reflection is a step closer to your goal.
Reward the effort not the outcome.
A study in 2018 showed kids rewarded based on outcome performed much worse when the difficulty increased.
But those rewarded for effort excelled.
Reframe: "You got an A+, great job!" → "I can tell you worked hard for that; great job!"
Follow the curiosity rabbit.
Curiosity makes learning fun and memorable. It naturally creates "relevancy," which improves your memory.
Most will hop on the highest trends; dive into the deepest rabbit holes.
4 AI tools to learn faster:
1. Lumen5 —Turn your digital notes into visual video
2. Copy. ai —Generate stories from your notes
3. MagicEraser —Remove unwanted things in your graphics
4. Streams Speak —Generate realistic audio podcasts from your notes.
10X Productivity!
Inquiry-based learning
If curiosity is the GPS, your question is the car to navigate the journey.
Never fear looking dumb because of a question. Sooner or later, it will happen, so why wait, what is the risk?
This is your growth season.
Zoom in and zoom out.
Your brain is a selfish forgotten machine. If something doesn't "make sense," it's cleared.
So focus on details but DON'T forget the bigger picture.
Big picture = "it make sense"
Small details = "dense knowledge web"
It sounds cliche, but trusting your guts + common sense can go a long way.
• Be positive.
• Marry right.
• Listen to your body.
• Empathy and love more.
• Take those shots even if you fail, etc…
What if the answer was in front of you?
Some of my favorite reflection questions:
• What were my expectations vs reality?
• How did I feel, what triggered this feeling?
• How do I tend to behave under ... situation, why so?
Go deep, be specific, and repeat multiple cycles.
Reflection is your free therapy session.
11 years ago,
@Stanford
created a 5 parts series to help students study more efficiently.
It got over 3,000,000 views and helped 10000s of students.
The series is hard to find on YouTube, so I've compiled it for you.
1. Like + Comment "learn"
2. Follow me
@LearningToan
And I
Patterns tell stories.
Success leaves clues. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Seek people a few steps ahead, and shadow them.
Learn their:
• beliefs
• behaviours
• characteristics
• thought process
This is the quickest shortcut to 100s hrs of trial and errors.
Seeking mentors
Kobe had Michael Jordan
Beethoven had Joseph Haydn
Leonardo Da Vinci had Andrea del Verrocchio
Mentors are people 2 steps ahead of who you want to become.
Some characteristics include humility, critical thinking, and understanding human psychology and EQ.
Set your standards.
Stanard is a double-edged sword.
When on you, it may holds you back (imposter syndrome); when it's on your goal, it pushes you forward.
You set the standards. Embody it.
Have an eye for reflection:
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein
Mistakes are useless without reflection.
When analyzing the process, find the hidden patterns, train of thoughts, and beliefs that control the
That's a wrap!
If you found this thread valuable, I would appreciate:
1. Follow
@LearningToan
for more learning, and education content
2. Retweet the tweet below so the algorithm can recommend my content to even more people.
A confession to Notion, Roam, Obsidian, Evernotes, Mem…
I think building a second brain (PKM) is overhyped and overrated.
People will hate me for this, but here’s my take:
In the last 6 months, I have been obsessed with metacognition ~ AKA learning how to learn
After 127+ hours of practicing and improving my techniques
I found 3 simple questions that helped me learn basically anything faster, and easier:
I spent over 50+ hours learning the science of learning 🧠
So I compiled everything I know into a 10+ Modules FREE course to help you learn anything faster ⚡
And for 24 hours, it's yours for FREE
Comment "ME" and I'll DM you
(Must be following)
I'm 18.
In the last 48 hours, my thread on learning how to learn gained over 5M views, which resulted in 11k+ new followers.
So to the new incomers, this is my philosophy:
"We're one genius away from saving the world, and fixing education is the most sustainable way to find
I found the ALL-IN-ONE platform for self-improvement:
• 1,000+ videos filled with value
• 600+ best-selling book summaries
• 50+ hours masterclass of philosophers' wisdom
and it's 100% FREE!
To get the DM from me:
1. Like + comment "me"
2. Follow
@LearningToan
How I completed my US-accredited high school program in 1 year at 16:
(100% online as an international homeschool student with less than $80/mo)
My 5 steps blueprint:
Disclaimer: This path is not made for everyone. I just want to share this piece so someone in my position 2
In the last 7 months, I've been obsessed with metacognition ~ AKA learning how to learn
After 137+ hours of practicing and improving my techniques
I found 3 simple habits that helped me learn basically anything faster, and easier:
I shared these clips not because they were viral or to get follows.
I share these because I am scared.
I am scared that even if I am 18 today, in a blink of an eye, I could be in my 40s looking back on all my regrets & what-ifs…
I have dreams and goals for myself, but would
I've spent over 80+ hours learning the science of learning 🧠
And found 99% of people are taking useless notes
That's why I created the Ultimate Note-Taking Masterclass.
It's FREE for the next 72 hours
1. Follow me
@LearningToan
2. Reply "me"
So I can DM you
7 months ago I started obsessing over learning how to learn
After 147+ hours of practicing & improving my techniques
I found 3 simple mindset shifts that help me learn basically anything faster, and easier:
ChatGPT is my favorite teacher
But for over 3 months I've been using it wrong!
So I interviewed learning expert
@DominicZijlstra
to learn how to learn 2X faster with AI.
I hesitated to put this out, but:
1. Like + Reply "me"
2. Follow me
@LearningToan
so I can DM you ❤️
Everyone tells you to learn new skills.
Nobody actually teaches you how.
After +100hrs of practicing, I created a free course that helped me:
- Study <20hrs/week
- Finish bachelor's at 18
- And love learning again
It's yours for 24hrs
Comment "me" + Follow me (I'll DM you)
School teaches kids trigonometry, plant cells, and Shakespeare but neglects the most powerful tool in the world:
Google Chrome
That's why 90% of people don't know how to unlock its full potential.
Here are 10 Chrome extensions you cannot miss: (100% free):
I got my bachelor's at 18.
I used to stress out of my mind about exams.
Until I developed my system.
So if I had only 1 day to prepare for an exam, here's my study plan to cram effectively:
(No ipad/stylus, AI tool, tedious notes, study partner, or Anki flashcards)
Your education quality determines your life's quality
But most schools suck at teaching kids what matters most...
Here are the top 5 ways school stunted your growth/
3 years ago, I convinced my parents to let me homeschool.
2 years ago, I finished my program and started uni.
1 year ago, I completed my bachelor's at 18.
After I tell people these things, they only ask me this ONE question...
Elon Musk dedicated his success to First Principles Thinking.
Not just Musk — Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, James Clear, and Feynman too.
Here's what it is, how to use it, and how to master it:
Here’s how to learn anything x5 faster:
1/ Sharpen the Axe
Learning is like investing in the S&P500
For years, you get incrementally better before skyrocketing when the compounding kicks in.
Kevin Kruse (
@Kruse
) studied the productivity habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs
Unlike most mainstream diluted advice
He only Found 15 Common Principles Successful People Know About Time Management:
In 2018, I was failing my classes
5 years later, I am on track to graduate my bachelor's at 18.
Everything I know about learning faster is free online.
Here are 7 life-changing videos that literally saved me 4 years of education:
(No experience needed, useful for adults)
Most people suck at thinking, we get told what to think for 12 years of school, then get thrown into the real world.
Here are 8 mental models, you should be teaching your kids ASAP:
Finally...
If you’re new here, I am Toan.
At 15, I convinced my parents to let me homeschool, and ever since, it has been an adventure.
I started this account to share everything I’ve learned along the way.
My 50-year vision is to disrupt the education system.
But my 5
@aaditsh
The ability to learn anything...
Once I learned how to learn I basically have any skill in the world.
Now I dedicate my account toward teaching people how to learn smarter and memory techniques. 😄
If you want to learn more I have a pin tweet about this :)
If you struggle with STUDYING, then you need to know these concepts:
Chunking
Order control
Non-linear notes
Bloom taxonomy
Higher-order thinking
Inquiry-based Learning
I can't explain everything in this tweet.
But here's the 80/20 to help you study smarter, not harder:
In the last 6 months, I've been obsessed with metacognition ~ aka learning how to learn
After 132+ hours of practicing and getting experts feedback
I found 7 simple principles + questions that helped me learn basically anything faster, and easier:
I went from 90 to 730 followers, in 30 days...
- Landed 2 clients
- Earned $60 online
- Featured on Podcast
- Become a brand ambassador
- Got invited to speak to students
Here is how you can do the same...
I graduated high school in 1yr once I realized I could use ONE system for 99% of subjects.
That's why I created this account
I'm teaching you the routines, systems, and mental models I used to learn faster
If you want to auto-pilot your student life, follow this account
I recently came across a study of how insufficient sleep affects energy, mood, and cognitive performance.
It reframed my entire mindset around sleeping habits.
So if you sleep less than 8 hours/ night, you might want to read this:
The single most powerful "skill" you can develop:
Reading effectively.
But the way schools teach us to read is the worst way to read in the real world.
Here are 9 tips to maximize your reading:
5 months ago,
@Oprah
& Brooks sat down to shoot 3 podcast episodes on happiness.
My biggest takeaway?
Enjoyment, satisfaction & purpose are the essential macronutrients of happiness.
Just like our bodies need proteins, fats & carbs, our souls need the right balance 3.
This
5 Books that should be mandatory in high school:
• Atomic Habits
• Start with Why
• Rich Dad Poor Dad
• The psychology of money
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
What did I miss?
To improve your productivity:
Focus on the basics:
- Diet
- Sleeping
- Workout
- Hygiene
- Environment
Not the new fancy $799 cutting-edge technology headset.
To find your purpose, Arthur suggests 2 key Qs:
• Why are you alive?
• What would you die for today?
These questions force you to dig deep.
For example, when Arthur's son Carlos pondered these, he found his meaning through struggle, faith & service in the Marines.
I graduated high school about 397 days ago, so trust me on this:
You don't need to remember:
- Saturn radius.
- Trigonometry.
- Periodic table.
To be a functional human being.
Do you agree?
In 2018, I was failing my classes
5 years later, I am about to graduate my bachelor's at 18.
I learned everything I needed to learn faster online.
Here are 7 life-changing videos that will turn you into a top 1% student (for free)
Everyone tells you to "learn new skills"
But no one actually shows you how.
After 127+ hours of practicing and improving my techniques
I found 1 simple system for learning any skill faster, easier:
I made a chatbot based on
@hubermanlab
With 1237+ pages of wisdom and a GPT 4 engine, I can confidently dissect Dr. Huberman's brain on any trivial topic...
At first, I was asking it for the meaning of life, but soon I found the secret to a life of meaning:
I landed my first client today 😊
I want to contribute this victory to all of you. Thank you for supporting me. October 17, it is going down in history 😄
I will drop a thread on how I did this soon. Stay notified.