Learn
Input: $ARGUMENTS
Step 1: Define What You’re Learning
TOPIC: [What you want to learn]
PURPOSE: [Why you need to learn this — what will you do with the knowledge]
DEPTH NEEDED: [Awareness / working knowledge / proficiency / expertise]
TIMELINE: [When you need to be competent]Step 2: Assess Current Knowledge
Be honest about where you are now.
CURRENT LEVEL: [None / vague awareness / some exposure / patchy knowledge / solid foundation]
WHAT I ALREADY KNOW:
- [Known concept 1]
- [Known concept 2]
WHAT I THINK I KNOW (but haven't verified):
- [Unverified belief 1]
- [Unverified belief 2]
RELATED KNOWLEDGE (from other domains):
- [Related skill/knowledge] — transferable because [reason]Step 3: Identify Knowledge Gaps
CORE CONCEPTS I'M MISSING:
1. [Concept] — importance: [foundational / important / nice-to-have]
2. [Concept] — importance: [foundational / important / nice-to-have]
3. [Concept] — importance: [foundational / important / nice-to-have]
SKILLS I'M MISSING:
1. [Skill] — can only be learned by: [reading / practice / doing]
2. [Skill] — can only be learned by: [reading / practice / doing]
PREREQUISITE GAPS:
- [Thing I need to learn before I can learn the main topic]Step 4: Choose Learning Strategy
Match the gap type to the right approach.
| Gap Type | Best Strategy |
|---|---|
| Conceptual | Read, watch, discuss |
| Procedural | Follow tutorials, practice step-by-step |
| Intuitive | Repeated practice with varied examples |
| Judgment | Case studies, mentorship, experience |
LEARNING PLAN:
1. [Gap] -> Strategy: [approach] -> Resource: [specific book, course, project]
2. [Gap] -> Strategy: [approach] -> Resource: [specific resource]
3. [Gap] -> Strategy: [approach] -> Resource: [specific resource]Step 5: Set Milestones
MILESTONES:
1. [Milestone] — test: [how to know you've reached it] — target: [date]
2. [Milestone] — test: [how to know you've reached it] — target: [date]
3. [Milestone] — test: [how to know you've reached it] — target: [date]
UNDERSTANDING vs FAMILIARITY CHECK:
- Can I explain this to someone else without notes? [that's understanding]
- Can I only recognize it when I see it? [that's just familiarity]Step 6: Plan Retention
RETRIEVAL PRACTICE:
- After each session: [summarize from memory before checking]
- Weekly: [explain one concept to someone or write it down]
SPACED REVIEW:
- Day 1: Learn it
- Day 3: Review it
- Day 7: Test yourself
- Day 21: Apply it in a new context
ONGOING APPLICATION:
- [How to use this knowledge regularly so it doesn't fade]Integration
Use with:
/thnk-> Choose the right thinking approach for what you’re learning/plsk-> Turn the learning plan into a concrete schedule/vldt-> Validate your understanding at each milestone/bldk-> Learn by building something