The Best Articles in Learning
The most useful articles and videos in Learning from around the web—beginners to advanced—curated by thought leaders and our community. We focus on timeless pieces and update the list whenever we discover new, must-read articles or videos—make sure to bookmark and revisit this page.
Top 5 Learning Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved in Learning by Refind users in 2023 so far.
Videos
Watch a video to get a quick overview.
I learned a system for remembering everything
Go to https://squarespace.com/mattdavella to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MATTDAVELLA. Thanks to Squarespace for sponso...
A Simple Process to Improve How You Learn
We’re taught single-loop learning from the time we are in grade school, but there’s a better way. Double loop learning is the quickest and most efficient way...
Become a great strategic thinker
Your mind is a software program. Here’s how to update it, explained by global political expert Ian Bremmer.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► https://www.yo...
Dan Harris: The benefits of not being a jerk to yourself
After more than two decades as an anchor for ABC News, an on-air panic attack sent Dan Harris's life in a new direction: he became a dedicated meditator and, to some, even a guru. But then an…
What is ...?
New to Learning? These articles make an excellent introduction.
What is neurodiversity?
The term neurodiversity conveys the idea that there is no single right way of thinking, learning, or behaving, and is often used in the context of autism spectrum disorder. A growing self-ad...
How to ...?
How to make more time to read
Many of us would like to have more time to read, but life can get in the way of picking up a book. What are strategies that actually work?
«However, speed reading limits your comprehension of the novel, reducing the accuracy of what you read and hindering how much you retain of the story»
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
Don't set goals. Passion is bullshit. Mediocre skills are valuable. These are just a few of the unexpected truths you'll discover in Scott Adams' new book. Here are 10 more takeaways.
«You can’t be generous to others if you’re not in a good place. Adams argues that once your needs are met, you can focus on the needs of others.»
How to become an expert
The path to mastery is long, winding and hugely fulfilling. Use this map to navigate and overcome any bumps along the way
How to Be a Little Wiser: 3 Practical Tips From Wisdom Experts
What is wisdom? Here, according to those who study it, are some answers and practical tips for making wiser decisions in your life.
«“A highly intelligent fool may not recognize that such a tradeoff exists in the first place,”»
How to Learn New Things as an Adult
A new book explores the psychology of mastering skills and absorbing information
«One thing that helps with memory is if they’re emotional. You will not forget the name of the person that you gave your first kiss to.»
Trending
These links are currently making the rounds in Learning on Refind.
New Neuroscience Reveals 7 Secrets That Will Make You Emotionally Intelligent
Being emotionally intelligent matters most during conflict. And if we master that, it can lead to very good results. Here's how to improve...
The Paradox of Goals
Here lies the paradox of goals: Setting goals is a guarantee for disillusionment whether we reach the desired state or not, and yet working toward goals is an important part of evolving as a person.…
«It is tempting during such liminal moments to cling on to a ladder – any ladder – to regain an illusory sense of control and progression.»
Talent archetypes: what is the shape of your skills?
In a world driven by rapid changes in technology, being a generalist is no longer enough. To support the fast-moving targets of global businesses, the versatilist now prevails.
Change fatigue: When our brain’s adaptive capacity is depleted
We are experiencing change fatigue at an unprecedented scale. The cognitive system that allows us to deal with acute stressful situations has been drained. Our “mental surge capacity” is depleted.
«Instead of resisting change, adding to the load we put on our adaptive systems, we can strive to accept, embrace, and even foster change in a way that leads to personal growth.»
Duolingo Transformed Me Into a Monster
Commentary: That green owl is haunting me.
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles in Learning—all under 10 minutes.
Ideas That Changed My Life
You spend years trying to learn new stuff but then look back and realize that maybe like 10 big ideas truly changed how you think and drive most of what you believe. Brent Beshore recently listed the…
The Ten-Book Rule for Smarter Thinking
Ten well-chosen books are usually enough to understand the expert consensus on any reasonable question you might have.
«Ten well-chosen books are usually enough to understand the expert consensus on any reasonable question you might have.»
40 Useful Concepts You Should Know
Ideas to help you make sense of the world
«39. Principle Of Humanity: Every single person is exactly what you would be if you were them. This includes your political opponents. So instead of dismissing them as evil or stupid, maybe seek to understand the circumstances that led them to their conclusions»
The Uncertain Mind: How the Brain Handles the Unknown
Our brain is wired to reduce uncertainty. The unknown is synonymous with threats that pose risks to our survival. The more we know, the more we can make accurate predictions and shape our future. The…
«Put simply, their results suggest that our brain redirects its energy towards resolving uncertainty, at the expense of other cognitive tasks.»
Expectations and Reality
In 2004 the New York Times interviewed Stephen Hawking, the late scientist whose motor-neuron disease left him paralyzed and unable to talk since age 21. Apparently in a good mood, the Times asked…
«there’s almost a complete ignorance of expectations, especially managing them with as much effort as we put into changing our circumstances.»
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles in Learning.
52 things I learned in 2022
This year I worked on fascinating projects in energy, media and health* at Magnetic, and learned many learnings.
Ten Mental Models for Learning
Ten central ideas to keep in mind whenever you need to learn anything new.
«How much you’re able to learn depends on what you already know. Research finds that the amount of knowledge retained from a text depends on prior knowledge of the topic»
What I Learned at Clubhouse 📓
I’ve learned a lot about building startups over the past few years, and have become much more opinionated on how to do it well. I spent the last 2 years at Clubhouse, where my learning was…
«Importantly, don’t just tell, rather show users how you want them to engage. Collaboration between community and product can be very valuable here.»
Surgical Reading: How to Read 12 Books at Once
How to efficiently get what you need out of reading, multiple books at a time
«when I’m reading a non-fiction book, I focus on locating and removing the most valuable pieces of information from it quickly as possible»
Can’t agree what wisdom means? All the more reason to seek it
There are no transcendent insights that rise above human difference. Yet wisdom exists if we look in the right places
Publications
We monitor hundreds of publications, blogs, newsletters, and news sources in Learning, including:
Scott Young
My book, ULTRALEARNING, is out now: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/ultralearning/
Ness Labs
The learning community for ambitious knowledge workers. Join us to think better, learn faster, and work happier: http://nesslabs.com/membership 🧠✨
Big Think
Learn from the world’s greatest thinkers. Join us on https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink.
LifeHack
LifeHack helps busy people get the most out of their lives in the shortest amount of time, through actionable, step-by-step systems that multiply results.
Eric Barker
My new book "Plays Well With Others" is available now: https://geni.us/pwwo
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Every day Refind picks 5 links from around the web for every user, tailored to the user’s interests. Picking only a handful of links means focusing on what’s relevant and useful. We favor timeless pieces—links with long shelf-lives, articles that are still relevant one month, one year, or even ten years from now. These lists of the best resources on any topic are the result of years of careful curation.
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It’s a mix of human and algorithmic curation, following a number of steps:
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The result: lists of the best and most useful articles on hundreds of topics.
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How many sources does Refind monitor?
We monitor 10k+ content sources on hundreds of topics—publications, blogs, news sites, newsletters, Substack, Medium, Twitter, etc.
Which sources does Refind monitor in Learning?
We monitor hundreds of sources in Learning, including Scott Young, Ness Labs, Big Think, LifeHack, Eric Barker, and many more.
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