Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

by Peter C. Brown

• Some kinds of difficulties during learning help to make the learning stronger and better remembered. • When learning is easy, it is often superficial and soon forgotten. • Not all of our intellectual abilities are hardwired. In fact, when learning is effortful, it changes the brain, making new connections and increasing intellectual ability. • You learn better when you wrestle with new problems before being shown the solution, rather than the other way around. • To achieve excellence in any sphere, you must strive to surpass your current level of ability. • Striving, by its nature, often results in setbacks, and setbacks are often what provide the essential information needed to adjust strategies to achieve mastery.