by Jonathan Owens
This is a widely discussed idea (sometimes framed as “Study, Teach, Clarify, Simplify”), but I like this framing of it - just start a document and write what you know in a way that explains it to a layman BEFORE YOU START READING.
before you start passively reading things and looking up stuff, open a file and try to describe what you know about the topic as if you were an expert and explaining it to someone. Then you can pinpoint exactly where you get lost and specifically look for the information as you read
Basically you want to get yourself out of that “always a student” rut of sort of waiting for the answers while you act virtuously modest and helpless. Pretend you are the expert and teacher right away so you feel that sense of engagement and responsibility
(via Reddit)
I’ve done this myself many a time, but only too late - by presenting it to others and spotting the gaps clearly… while people watch.
See also: press-release-driven development, working backwards from a goal.
In the Feynman framing, teaching is framed as the clearest expression of your understanding of a subject. It posits (probably correctly) that there is a tight correlation between the ability to teach something and the ability to understand that thing. So to that end, start with the goal (understanding), then establish a measurement (teaching), then work to fill in the path between here and your measurement target (well-taught). When you arrive, you find yourself with a completed goal (understanding).
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