#45 Cutting your learning curve

I’ll let you into a secret. I aspire to write a book on decision-making and productivity based on behavioural science, and Plane Thoughts is its foundation. However, I have very little knowledge of securing a book contract and successfully publishing a book. Last week, I discussed the three-step learning process, which includes Knowledge, Understanding, and Application, and this week, I'm addressing my knowledge gap.

To bridge this gap, I crafted a speculative email to the successful author whose book I read over the summer. I asked for guidance with a series of questions I hoped they might answer through a call or email.

The catch? I had no prior connection to the author, making the chances of a response slim. So why did I opt for this approach instead of starting with online research?

1. Gaining clarity through questions

Asking questions is a powerful tool for knowledge acquisition. Formulating questions forces us to think critically about the subject matter. It compels us to identify what we don't know, helping us to bridge those gaps systematically.

I asked the author three specific questions about book publishing, hoping that an ask that wasn’t too long or complicated would increase the chance of a response. Being limited to three questions made me focus on the most critical gaps in my knowledge and what would help me bridge that gap.

2. No one wants to appear stupid

No one wants to appear stupid or unprepared when speaking to an expert or someone of importance. I leveraged this fear by reaching out before I’d completed my planned reading. The prospect of a conversation with a successful author energised my knowledge acquisition. It focussed my efforts on learning what was most important to get the most out of our discussion.

In the past, I’ve stressed the importance of breaking down goals into smaller, more manageable steps to enhance task adherence. My email accomplished just that. Instead of an extremely broad and undefined goal like ‘learn what I need to learn to write and publish a successful book,’ I focussed on ‘learn the key information about the book publishing process to get value from a successful author while avoiding ignorance’. This is much more manageable.

Implementation idea

If you’re on a learning journey, consider reaching out to an expert to cut your learning curve. Experts offer valuable insights, shortcuts, and best practices honed through years of dedication and hard work. They can help you identify your blind spots and put you in touch with other people who could further enrich your learning and network.

This post highlights how these benefits primarily relate to self-improvement, even if the expert doesn't respond or offer their time and support. Progress often hinges on optimising our actions and behaviours before seeking external help. We all have our quirks and biases; leveraging them can yield remarkable results. The seemingly trivial fear of appearing stupid, in this case, spurred my learning process. While we can't eliminate our biases, we can be aware of them and turn potential weaknesses into strengths.

Hit reply and let me know who you’re going to reach out to this week!

Best, Alex Joshi.

On my bedside table:

• YouTube Podcast: Colin and Samir - An honest conversation with Ali Abdaal (link) - Ali is the ‘world’s most-followed productivity expert’, and his YouTube channel is a staple with lunch when I WFH

• Non-fiction: The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life by Steven Bartlett (link) - I received this as an unexpected thank-you gift from a colleague; a great start to my Monday morning!

• Fiction: Harry Potter y la cámara secreta by J.K. Rowling (link) - I re-read the entire series every other year on average; this year in Spanish for the first time.

Comments, questions, disagreements? Hit reply to reach out to me directly.

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