If you want to know how to become an autodidact, I suggest you start by treating the adventure like a game.
Not in terms of gamification.
But in terms of game theory.
By that, I mean set up your learning journey is such a way that you want to keep going.
No matter what obstacles arise.
Because, let’s face it. There will be obstacles.
And that’s why the path of the self taught learner must include detailed studies in discipline, focus and determination.
Anyone can pick up these skills, even though traditional educational institutions have sadly made them harder to pick up.
I say it’s sad because you need to keep up with the rapid pace of change more than ever before.
As a result, autodidactic learning has never been more important.
As an autodidact myself who has started businesses, written multiple books, played in bands and taught thousands of people around the world, I’m happy to share the best practices I’ve found.
So if you’d like to take charge of your education, settle in. You’re about to learn how to take charge of your education and master new skills all on your own.
What Is An Autodidact?
An autodidact is anyone who takes steps to acquire an independent education in a topic or skill.
Often, people think autodidacts do this without the guidance of formal instructors. But this belief is not strictly true.
The author David Morrell, for example, became well known for his deep research projects before writing various novels.
For example, he learned to fly a plane before writing The Shimmer. He has also studied interrogation tactics, how to establish a false identity and defensive driving.
This makes him a great example of a modern polymath. But the fact that he hired instructors to help him learn these skills doesn’t mean he taught himself.
The distinguishing factor is that he took the initiative and arranged the learning journey on his own.
There was no formal way to study for all those skills. So he informally crafted his own lifelong learning journey.
To do that, people like Morrell cultivate as many of the following polymathic personality traits as possible.
The Most Important Characteristics of Autodidacticism
In addition to taking charge of the learning journey, an autodidact is:
- Flexible to the exact demands required to achieve their learning goals.
- Research-focused in order to find the best sources of knowledge.
- Capable of using critical thinking to assess the reliability of their instructors and information sources.
- Devoted to developing a personal empowerment mindset, sometimes called mental strength.
- Courageous and capable of withstanding isolation.
These characteristics are so important because autodidacts have to take more responsibility for their learning outcomes than a strict polymath might.
There’s no formal institution to blame, after all. Like Morrell’s most famous character Rambo, it’s a jungle out there and you are on your own.
How to Become an Autodidact
As you now know, autodidacts take responsibility for their own education and do not rely on formal instruction offered by institutions.
At least not the way you would attend one university to complete a degree.
When I was a student, that’s what I did for many years. I completed a B.A., M.A. and PhD without a shred of that learning journey involving any autodidacticism.
When I learned how to write, publish and market bestselling books, on the other hand, these skills were self taught.
Taking a cue from Morrell, to prepare for writing my first “Memory Detective” novel, Flyboy, I took two courses with a detective. One on gun handling and the other on the handling of crime scenes.
I also completed a forensics course. In it, I learned about Cellebrite Pathfinder,and then took a course on how detectives use this software.
My knowledge of this technology become good enough that a detective who read my novel was surprised I even know about it. He told me I described the technology and its use in digital forensics very well.
This is where the research-focused aspect of teaching yourself comes in handy. You need to find the best information.
That requires probing skills above and beyond just searching and analyzing the first page of a search engine. You also can’t just go with what an AI text generator tells you.
So, how does one accomplish massive goals without cheating oneself by studying in shallow ways when you need to dig deep?
Here are the exact steps I suggest you follow.
One: Develop the Basic Self-Learning Skills
As Barbara Oakley puts it, you need to learn how to learn.
More than simply developing discipline, curiosity and a proactive attitude, your memory needs to be sharp.
To get it as fit as possible, devote yourself to learning the best memory techniques out there.
My preferred stack of techniques is:
You can learn more mnemonic devices and mind mapping. But those five memory systems are the ones I personally use the most.
Then there’s note-taking, for which I prefer a combination of the Zettelkasten technique and Leitner boxes.
Two: Make Sure The Engagement Engine Is On
I’ve worked with a lot of one-on-one coaching clients over the years.
Most of them don’t have a learning problem. They have a passion problem.
Rather than study something they love, they focus on studying things that will make them money.
I’ve been there.
I once almost entered a teaching certification program so I could provide a steady income to fulfil someone else’s dream.
As much as I love education, entering a formal system to do that would have been miserable.
I got myself out of that downward spiral by completing a “Perfect Present” journaling exercise.
I wrote my “dream day” in a journal each morning.
After eleven days, the scales dropped from my eyes. I saw that there was no way for me to achieve my learning goals by trying to use formal education to make someone else happy.
That’s when I turned to learning self-publishing, podcasting, using YouTube, etc.
I also used mind mapping for business to help. And the rest is history.
To complete this step yourself, test the truth of what it is you want to learn.
Write down five reasons it’s worth pursuing that topic.
Given the challenges involved in learning everything, if you can’t find five reasons the topic will help you achieve your dreams, it’s probably not worth pursuing.
Three: Set Clear Goals By Adding These Words
When I work with clients, they often describe murky goals.
They want to learn languages, master a particular dance program and fly planes.
Although each goal has a kind of clarity, they are ultimately vague.
Rather than focusing on the goals as such, add “so that” followed by a clause that highlights the outcome.
In this way, learning a new language becomes “learning a new language so that I can speak with my partner’s family.”
It seems like a small thing to add, but I’ve found time and again that adding “so that” makes the exact planning process more focused.
And that makes it easier to execute the plan.
Four: Research Other Methods And Find Their Flaws
Above, I gave you a several methods I use to learn at epic speeds.
However, outside of the contexts for which I use them, these methods can be deeply flawed.
My bookish learning goals lend themselves to these techniques. But learning carpentry or plumbing?
I have no idea how I would use Memory Palaces and optimized flashcards to learn those skills. They might not involve any reading techniques at all.
To put it another way, if you’re going to take advice on how to learn, choose a learning guru who has actually achieved what you want to accomplish.
That way, you’re modeling the research and learning methods used by successful people.
On the flip side of the coin, also study some failures.
Personally, I think a lot about running a Kickstarter campaign for my forthcoming Memory Detective Jr. series.
Much of my research involves examining flops on the platform.
It’s as important to research what not to do, especially when learning on your own.
Five: Plan Your Study Path
Coming up with a learning goal is one thing. Planning how you’ll execute is another.
Since no one can see the future, planning is not without the risk that you’ll miss something important.
And plans often need to change.
That’s why I treat planning as a skill unto itself. I plan over and over again so that I’m skilled at rapidly drafting new plans.
By simply accepting that plans will need redrawing, you can release yourself to simply do your best.
And as you continually plan and replan, you will develop procedural memory around the process.
As this study demonstrates, strong planning skills directly determine your ability to complete your goals.
That means now is the best time to get started with planning as a deliberate practice.
Six: Learn To Maintain Your Commitment & Focus
“Stop stopping.”
It’s one of my favorite personal mantras amongst others I use to maintain focus on what matters.
I use memory techniques to memorize them so these handy inspirational phrases are easy to draw upon when times get tough.
But how do you actually stop the habit of stopping or giving up on your goals?
First, make sure you’re in control of your dopamine. You can literally reset it.
Next, maintain a good diet and physical fitness routine. Also, take care of your sleep.
There are memory friendly foods you can explore, and it doesn’t take much exercise to keep your body and mind energized.
The key is to understand that the mind tends to throw up mental objects that weaken us when the body is out of shape.
Craft a strong body and you will almost automatically enjoy a clear and focused mind.
Tony Robbins talks about this all the time. I saw him live once and if that guy doesn’t provide proof of concept, I don’t know who does.
He’s not only taught himself a ton. His energy is undeniable. And it just comes down to simple things like diet, fitness, sleep and various concentration meditation routines.
Seven: Refine Your Autodidact Approach & Skillset Over Time
Nothing is set in stone.
What works to achieve one goal might not have the same power for the next.
That’s why I talked about making planning and re-planning one of your skills.
But you may also need to patch in additional skills.
Let’s say you’ve mastered the Memory Palace for language learning as you develop your bilingualism.
Next, you might beef up on your active learning skills.
Or study spaced repetition more closely to improve how you use it.
Reflecting and adjusting are incredibly important skills as a self-taught individual.
To do it in the best possible way, seek feedback from others and generate your own feedback by keeping a journal.
Some World-Famous Autodidacts You Should Know
The theory needed to teach yourself is one thing.
But let’s turn now to look at a few examples of people who have taught themselves various skills.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Although it’s true that Da Vinci studied under others, he also learned many things on his own.
He taught himself through experimentation, observation and keeping detailed notebooks.
His learning spanned multiple fields, from science and engineering to art and anatomy.
The detail he brought to concepts like a flying machine influenced and inspired others to realize the airplanes we now all see over our heads on a daily basis.
Lynne Kelly
Although she has a scholarly background, Lynne Kelly took it upon herself to learn a completely new field.
She presented her findings in The Knowledge gene.
How did she learn so much about genetics so quickly?
As the author of Memory Craft and The Memory Code, Kelly simply drew upon the memory techniques she taught herself to use.
In addition to using her memory to write incredible books, Kelly has also performed impressively at memory competition.
And like several other memory champs, she has also used her memory skills to teach herself several languages.
For more intriguing self-taught people, check out these examples.
Learn Like An Autodidact Starting Right Now
I want to encourage you to make self-taught learning a massive part of your life.
Keep asking those “why” questions as you take up new projects.
Focus on one major topic and set proper goals and plans around it.
This is how you’ll take the first step towards meaning and mastery.
If you would like help with the memory component, register here for my free memory improvement course:
It gives you four video tutorials and worksheets that walk you through everything.
That way, you’ll remember what you take time to study.
Nothing is more valuable than retaining the knowledge you encounter.
And that’s because those who seek deeper understanding can only do so by sorting, sifting and screening information they’ve embedded deeply into their memory.
Now you know how to do it too.
On your own, the most empowering way to learn.
