The Only Skill that Matters: The Proven Methodology to Read Faster, Remember More, and Become a SuperLearner

by Jonathan A. Levi

Your brain runs on about twenty watts of power—a little less than two of those eco-friendly CFL light bulbs. According to Stanford researcher Kwabena Boahen, a robot with similar processing power would consume at least ten megawatts.6 That’s ten million watts—or about as much as a small hydroelectric plant. It’s unfathomable, and yet, it’s true. Your brain has an insane amount of processing power, and it’s five hundred thousand times more efficient than the best microprocessors ever built. How exactly this is possible remains one of the great mysteries of the universe. But suffice it to say that forgetting useless information is a big part of it. Luckily, as you’re learning, there are ways to “trick” the hippocampi into storing more memories—and maintaining them long term.