If I made you take the final exam for a class you studied a decade ago, would you pass? The unfortunate truth is that, except for knowledge we actively use in daily life, much of what we learn is beyond our powers of recall. …

What’s the one habit you can build from the comfort of your bed that costs little, never gets boring, and makes you wealthier, smarter, happier and a better person? It is reading books. Despite most of us wanting to read more, we often default to watching TV shows and browsing…

Suppose you’re learning a skill like algebra, programming or drawing. Consider two different strategies for studying: Examples first. Before you try anything on your own, study examples of how other people solve similar problems. Problems first. Before looking at any examples, try to solve the problem independently. If you fail…

Pedigree is an eye-opening book. Author and sociologist Lauren Rivera looks into the recruitment practices in elite law, banking, and consulting firms. Rivera’s unsettling portrait provides much ammunition for those who would argue that meritocracy is a myth. In particular, Rivera finds: Alma mater is all-important. Elite firms draw from…

This method for effective learning helps you build on good practice — The foundation for effective learning is practice. You get good at things by doing them. Yet within this simple observation is a maze of complexity. How should you practice to get the most improvement with the least time and effort? Good practice has three components: See. Look for an example…

How do we solve hard problems? What are we thinking about as we work? What influences whether we find an answer or remain stuck forever? These are the questions Allen Newell and Herbert Simon set out to address in their landmark 1972 book, Human Problem Solving. …

Working hard all day doesn’t matter if it’s on the wrong tasks. The most critical factor in your productivity is what you decide to work on. The question of what to work on is under-discussed. There’s plenty of advice on getting work done: setting up good habits, creating productivity systems…