The Easiest Way To Measure Your Understanding, Knowledge, And Wisdom

If you cannot explain something in very simple terms, you do not understand it enough.

This maxim has many names. From the Feynman technique (after the famous physicist) to the 5-year-old test. Nonetheless, all of them stop you from hiding behind jargon and explaining yourself. Understanding a certain concept well comes down to how simple you can make it for yourself and others.

So how do you get your thinking clean and simple wisdom?

Go down to first principles by asking why all the time

Once you are comfortable with the roots, you can attach a ton of leaves to your magnificent tree. In the same way, you will deeply understand something once you can trace back to the basic causes and beyond.

In addition, it is by revisiting and questioning the basic assumptions that epiphanies and red-pill effects can happen. A tiny change at the source creates huge ripple effects.

Examples are the best way to make things simple but it is by knowing the basics that you can easily associate examples on the fly.

Practice explaining and learning from feedback

Ultimately, you have to explain to become a better explainer, whether via text or speech.

Therefore, always seek opportunities to share what you learn and notice the confusion/clarity with your intended recipients. The less they understand you, the more you can practice. I personally write here every day and attend conversations (for instance the Stoic space on Twitter) regularly to share my observations, giving me opportunities to refine what I see. I highly recommend you do the same.

Share your knowledge in simple ways and society will benefit.

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