Learn Like a Polymath: How to Teach Yourself Anything, Develop Multidisciplinary Expertise, and Become Irreplaceable

by Peter Hollins

Polymathy is the modern currency. Generate unique solutions and perspectives that only a dedicated self-learner can.
A jack of all trades is not actually a bad thing. It's the best way to future-proof yourself and make yourself irreplaceable in any social or professional setting. It's time to think like a polymath.
Learn to absorb information like a sponge and foster connections that translate to real-life problem solving.
Think Like a Polymath provides a clear path forward to becoming the jack of all trades that thrives in any situation. There are many myths about polymaths, and they are all dispelled and more in this book. Make sure you are spending your efforts in the best way, and that you are truly headed towards the goal you want.
Unlock the "secrets" of famous polymaths that you too can utilize.
Peter Hollins has studied psychology and peak human performance for over a dozen years and is a bestselling author. He has worked with a multitude of individuals to unlock their potential and path towards success. His writing draws on his academic, coaching, and research experience.
Become a bonafide "Renaissance Person" and reap the rewards in your career.
-Learn about cross pollination and how to use it to skyrocket your comprehension. - Understand the surprising traits of most polymaths, famous or not. -What analogy thinking is and why it will unlock your thinking. - The elusive concept of learning transfer and how most people approach it wrong. -The most efficient and effective plan to gain polymathy.
Become the most valuable person that you know.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Education, Productivity, Personal Development, Science

198 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2017

About the author

Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a student of the human condition. He possesses a BS in psychology and a graduate degree.

Reviews

[Piyush Bhatia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book by the author, following Think Like Einstein, which I reviewed a few days ago—so I’ll keep this one brief.

At just over 120 pages, it’s a quick read focused on enhancing learning techniques and personal growth. Like its predecessor, the book emphasizes on 'how to learn' rather than what to learn, with a strong focus on building critical thinking and learning skills.
Overall, a decent and worthwhile read.

3/5 !

[Pat Beard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very practical hints. I wasn't as impressed with the first chapter or so but once past that it got much better. If you follow the suggestions on note taking, practice, etc., you'll be a better learner. There probably isn't anything earthshakingly new in this book but it is in one convenient place. I would recommend for students - both formal and informal - which should encompass everyone since we all should be learning constantly!

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Better learning can be achieved by identifying consuming goals that will make learning secondary, increasing concentration, improving reading and note taking skills, analyzing notes to refine/simplify/connect information you want to retain, implementing SRS to rehearse your refined/simplified/connected concepts. Specific techniques, attitudes, and habits are given.

I found this book to be a great overview of the kinds of things you can do to learn better without providing much depth in any of them. I was puzzled why speed reading made the list when it's been shown to decrease comprehension (if you're using an electronic reader of some kind, your best bet is actually just to increase line length). I also wonder why memory palaces weren't addressed for improving retention. But overall this was ok and provided me with a list of topics to learn more about later.

[Naz · Rating 5 out of 5]

كتاب مهم يعلمك كيف تفكر و تكون مستقل بتفكيرك و ايضا تحسين عملية التفكير و القراة
فا كل فصل موضوع عبارة عن شرح النقطة ثم نصائح و امثلة لكي تفهم اكثر و تطبقه بحياتك الفكرية

[Leslie Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good points are covered here. Didn't do as much with memory techniques as is possible but focussed on excellent methods for traditional study. He even described my own successful method of reducing the reading material to smaller and smaller chunks.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a handy guide to not only the process of learning but how to transfer knowledge and skills to other disciplines. "Learn like a Polymath" is inspirational and includes very useful information on polymathy.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skims the Surface and Goes Off on Tangents

One of the things that drives me absolutely crazy about poorly written non-fiction books is that they get off-topic. People are time-poor these days, and if we want to read a book about how to learn like a polymath... it is not unreasonable for us to expect the book to be just about that. In this book, instead, I felt like the author veered off onto too many tangents, like the initial one about the different types of intelligence, and when he did discuss how to learn like a polymath, he barely skimmed the surface. It feels like he read several books on the topic and wrote a book surveying it. There's not much depth here or much that is practicable. If you have an interest in learning more about how to learn like a polymath, I suggest finding other books to help you along your way.

[Sohaib Awamleh]

this is the the worst book of all time honestly
this book does nothing literally
it says that its for everyone
even the great people will become legendary at learning
that was such a lie
i wouldn't say im the greatest student out there but i do get decent grades this just says what me and everyone that i met that gets good grades think of when it comes to learning
this book could only help the people who are really really bad at learning
but then again i would say if they are bad at learning they wont be able to use the information in the book.
Also the book literally repeats itself so many times makes it so boring
it also gives so many examples
but also in the same book tells us to skip when there is many examples when learning a subject?
like dude u want us to skip half of ur book whats even the point

[Kia Soe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is too short you can finish reading it in a few hours, but it's also short to a point it barely covers anything related to Polymath. Nonetheless it introduces us several interesting topics such as mind mapping, using analogies, and that whatever we choose to study, we need to integrate that subject into ourselves deeply so that it becomes an intrinsic understanding instead of a shallow one (Breadth, Depth, Integration).

Overall, it's a decent book to introduce yourself to polymath, but you will need more resources to understand the topic more deeply, and even more sources to practice yourself if you truly wish to become a polymath.

[Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok book, learn to chunk information together to learn faster and remember more

[Matalin Hansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

does skimming count as reading? I'm deciding it is, get my goodreads challenge going a little faster.
what a dull book, and how hilarious. why are there step by steps to become a polymath? and he says things like "break it down" and "break it down further". surely his version of a polymath and mine must be two different things.
please, if you are reading this with desire to become a polymath, its a laugh. you need to read literally anything else, reading this is procrastinating your own potential.
hollins is a psychologist that studies human performance and has "worked with a multitude of individuals to unlock their potential". God bless and God speed good sir, but let's be real: if you have to pick up a book to learn about how you should pick up books to learn, you need to take it easy. it might be an overwhelming start, and many are prone to burnout/disinterest. start out with the topic you loved most as a kid (bugs, plants, rocks, dinosaurs, video games), or something you're really passionate about (homelessness policy, religion, space travel), or something youre spiteful about because you hated it once and you're not gonna let it get the best of you (maths, cursive, public speaking, history of ww2, mold), then find a bunch of books on that topic and go from there. I promise, everything else will fall into place. and if it doesnt, then when you're in a conversation and you don't know something, you get to learn about it! boom, right there, you're a polymath. and learn what's available! wild wild western history is wayyy more interesting if you live next to a ranch in Texas than the war of the Roses, and one is going to be way more available in your libraries than the other. learn both, but don't disregard what's right there because it's not niche enough or smth.
yeah, anyways, skimmed it, absorbed just about as much as I would have reading it.
being a polymath doesn't mean anything when in comparison with another person, it means letting your ego settle with understand how little you know, while you make the conscious decision to be a student. as soon as you're the most knowledgeable in the room, you're in the wrong place. you don't get smart by reading books on how to get smart, you get smart by reading, practicing, failing, stumbling, and speaking comfortably about anything.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a concise book with basic tips on learning, such as try different learning methods to see which works best for you (e.g., seeing graphs and images, reading books/writing notes, listening to lectures, studying alone, or studying with a group). To read faster, stop sub-vocalizing (saying the words in your head), look at the 2-3 words at time, and get used to understanding the group of words without having to say them. The tips for memorizing and focusing are widely known, such as using mnemonics and blocking time.

[Yasmine Aouissi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5
I'm pretty aware that some titles are only for marketing purposes, this one included, and they pretty much always disinterest me but then this one had Einstein on the cover! How am I supposed to say no? Anyways, as you may have figured, the book is not going to teach you how to learn like Einstein, but it may help you learn better. It's nice, has some great tips and wasn't heavy at all. Oh and I solved Einstein's logic puzzle like a Bawse :3

[Shweta Kesari · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all are afraid of failures. We all avoid talking about failures and shelve them into most secretive walls. Peter Hollins put light on those aspects which we fear to come across. He talks about how those aspects mean a lot to climb the ladder of success. When he talks about little confrontations, you can feel like he's pointing on your reflection - where you are going wrong, and what you should stop doing to achieve success and whatever you want to achieve.


Our failures are our greatest lessons. We can learn a lot from our failures. Because, only our failure can indicate where we are going wrong, and where we need to take right steps. Peter doesn't talk do high-talks, but he covers what each of us goes through and faces in our life. Learning isn't limited to college and school. It is a synonym of life. It should go till the last breathe. But, how to learn from life and failures brings the reader towards the book.

Learning to learn is not an instant recipe. It takes its own time to come out in its best form. In this book, Peter has demonstrated several ways or call them steps to bring your brain into active mode, or super-active mode. The ways he talks about are the practical ones, and I found them interesting and unique; not from the box of old-monotonous-talks.


This great combo is worth my time! I agree with what all he says, and very much impressed how simply and very effectively he incorporates great life lessons in this book. The combo worked very well for me. It was like turn around, and there's another pleasant present waiting for you.

[Ned · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good suggestions

Nothing earth shattering, just some solid suggestions to improve learning and retention. The biggest takeaway is that learning, comprehending, and retaining is hard work. There is no magic. One must interact with, analyze, practice, and ruminate over the material. It takes time and effort. Be aware that there is no discussion of using the phonetic number system, memory palaces, or stories as aids to memorization, as in similar books. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not the book's focus.

[Khang Diep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly inspirational. However, don't expect to find a blueprint on how to achieve polymathy. The book is more about dispelling myths about polymaths and how becoming a polymath isn't something far-fetched. Believe that you can or can't and you'll be right. The book introduces some useful techniques one can use to learn more effectively, like context transferring, analogies, mind mapping. I think it's a good introduction for anyone who wants to learn more and learn better.

[Dea꧂ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned almost nothing new.Very clinical and short.Nothing new can be glimpsed from this book.

“That is the way to learn the most, that when you are doing something with such enjoyment that
you don’t notice that the time passes.” – Albert Einstein
This seems like such an simple and easy to follow advice....

[Ahmed Abu Elkheir · Rating 4 out of 5]

لم أقرأ الكثير من الكتب عن التعلم ولكني التحقت بدورة على Coursera وحقيقة ان هذا الكتاب هو ما كان في الدورة مع زيادات لا بأس بها وجيدة للغاية،انصح بهذا الكتاب لمن يتعلم بشكل مستمر أي ان كلنا في احتياج لمعرفة القليل عن التعلم في أي سن كنا.سأقتبس اهم ما في الكتاب ان العقبة الاولى في التعلم و الحلقة الاضغف دائماً هي نحن و الكبر الذي يمنعنا ان نتعلم.
نعوذ بالله من الكبر و نسأل الله علماً نافعا

[Dharmendra Chouhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If u have read any books on this topic or have read norman lweis's how to read better and faster earlier then my advice will be first go through the summary given in last so that you get a idea whether to read it or skim it.
Has same things which you already know

[Jevgenij · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a good book. Trying to get a higher pages count with meaningless lists and classifications, but when it comes to practical advice, it's basically goes like "study similar disciplines, use various sources, go deep and go wide"

[Ania Slugocka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mówią, że praktyka czyni mistrza. I że czego Jaś się nie nauczy, tego Jan nie będzie umiał.

Zgadzacie się z tym?

Ja nie bardzo. Szczególnie z tym drugim powiedzeniem.

#uczsiejakeinstein od @wydawnictwo_sensus (#współpracabarterowa ) potwierdza moją teorię, pokazując, że ucząc się w odpowiedni sposób, możemy nauczyć się wszystkiego i w każdym wieku.

Najważniej natomiast jest podejście!

Autor pokazuje nam na prostych przykładach jakie możemy obrać drogi uczenia się, które techniki wykorzystać w jaki sposób i jak dopasować je do naszych preferencji.

Wskazuje, że osoba, będąca wzrokowcem wyniesie o wiele mniej z wykładu niż z robionych recznie notatek. Pokazuje plusy uczenia się w grupie i te, płynące z nauki w samotności.

Daje proste rady dotyczące szybkiego czytania, tworzenia notatek czy nauki w sposob interwałowy.

Ta krótka, ale treściwa książka pomoże wam zorganizować naukę tak, by dawała nie tylko wiedzę, ale i przyjemność. Pomoże wam właściwie określić cele i znaleźć motywację.

Ja zrozumiałam kilka błędów, które popełniam podczas uczenia się i wdrażam plan naprawczy.
Jeśli i wy chcecie się czegoś nauczyć szybko i efektywnie - warto zapoznać się z tym poradnikiem.

[Sahra · Rating 3 out of 5]

kitaptan tam olarak beklediğim neydi bilmiyorum ama pek de bu değildi sanki. Einstein gibi düşünmek denilince Einstein üzerinden anlatılacak bir şeyler sandım ancak son 2-3 sayfa dışında kendisinden neredeyse çok az söz edilmişti. Sürekli biyoistatistik dersinde işlediğimiz konularla bağdaştırdığım şeyler vardı fakat bunların düşünmekle tam olarak ne kadar alakası olduğunu anlayamadım. Mod, medyan, aritmetik ortalamanın anlatılması gibi mesela. Einstein gerçekten de farklı düşünmesiyle ve düşünce deneyleriyle bilinen bir insandı buna yönelik daha fazla şey olsaydı kitaba tam puan verebilirdim ama maalesef yoktu. Yine de insanı düşünmeye yöneltebilecek önerileri beğendim ve içinden çıkamadığınız durumlarda kullanabileceğiniz işe yarar fikirler vardı.

[Jawahar Jasthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good - Solid principles

It's a short read covering the basics of learning well.After learning about learning for quite some time I can say with certainty that most of the books on the subjects cover these same principles.So bottomline is this book gives solid direction toward becoming a better learner.The thing I like the most is example of authors personal experience.
Then why not 5 star?? I think some good excercises or home work for the readers might have made this even better read.

Overall you wont go wrong buying this book.even if you know the principles of learning, repetition from an expert on the subject will certainly help with improving the skill.

[Favour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favour's Reading Series on How to Study Better in Med School(Book 1)

A solid 5 star. Reading this didn't feel like I was reading regular non-fiction.
It was conversational in a way that wants you to continue reading and not stop.
You know how you feel when you read a juicy rom-com? That's what it was like.

So one important lesson I picked from this is that: "We should learn how to learn". It's pretty obvious given the title, but it's good to get curious about how best to learn. You can indeed study less and get better grades with the right strategies.

Some Key Quotes that set the tone in the book:

"Then, as we grow older, we start to see people become outliers and separate themselves even more as a result of their talent in learning, not necessarily talent in the underlying subject."

"If you don’t believe that you are can do something as well as someone else, then why try at all? It’s actually a very dangerous assumption that others are simply innately better at something, because it will cause a very real sense of discouragement and pointlessness."

[Jomeow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have taken one MOOC course, read a few books and quite a lot of articles about how to learn better, so I didn't expect to learn something. I read it simply because KU recommended it, I was feeling tired and couldn't summon more energy and cognitions to do anything complicated. this looked like an easy read.

As expected, I'd known most of the points, but the two of the main models of learning were new to me, VARK and the Seven Learning Styles. Great to know myself better.

I recommend who doesn't know much how to learn better and why to read it. It's short with examples, easy to understand.

[Connie Hayek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for students who want to step up their learning game. It’s written in a concise format so a “non-reader” would find it helpful. It probably took me a few hours at most to read and it’s easy to pick out those pieces that are of greatest interest or concern.
I gave it four stars because it is not as thorough as I generally prefer. That said, I have recommended it to many college students over the last few years, and will continue to include it on my (short) recommended reading list for students.

[Lee Cochran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aggregator For Students

I was hoping that the book had information on Albert Einstein’s learning techniques like Feynman but the title is all marketing.
The book is one of a series on learning.
There isn’t anything ground breaking or new and only references Einstein’s Riddle when referring to the Great Mind of our time.
The booklet (55 pgs) collects all the study techniques from different sources from speed reading, memory, test studying, note taking etc into one book. For old hands like me, there’s nothing new but is highly recommended for young students starting out.

[Guillaume · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the information contained within this book was good, but it was never discussed in enough detail to be of any use. Also, the use of Einstein in the title has nothing to do with the book and all to do with using the name to help promote what is, unfortunately, a rather useless book. If you want to know what this book SHOULD have been like, check out "Unlimited Memory: How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive" by "Kevin Horsley."

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been noticing that while my ability to remember my endless "to dos" is very much intact, my ability to remember the litany of facts, names, and random information I encounter is sadly declining. I was curious to know if there's anything I can do about it. While not really answering my question, this book has some practical tips about how to learn and store information, both academic and personal.

[Greg K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it as an almost random test book for Kindle Unlimited, and I’d be upset if I’d had to pay for it. While written rather nicely and even engaging, the book doesn’t really show much. Just some basics on focus, speed reading and memory. Nothing revolutionary. The whole chapter is dedicated on how to wing a school exam.

Kudos for a pleasant tone and the continuity with the girl in the Spanish class.