How to Build Strong Foundations for Learning
Simple Steps to Help Learners Thrive at Home and Beyond
“Don’t let school interfere with your education.”
Mark Twain
Learning isn't just about school. Real education happens everywhere, especially at home. Even if we don’t have a strong foundation at home, we can still build one.
No matter where we go, we will need an education.
Sometimes that is in the classroom and somtimes that isnt.
It’s up to us to figure out what we need to know; self-education is key.
My Personal Experience with Self-Directed Learning
A few months into my self-directed learning, something amazing happened. I could focus better and understand new ideas faster. I wasn't distracted as easily, and I could remember what I had learned from weeks ago. This focus gave me energy and curiosity I never had before. Suddenly, I could read and understand things in a fraction of the time it used to take.
This new confidence changed my life. I felt clear-headed, knew what steps to take, and was motivated. Jim Kwik, the author of Limitless, had the same experience:
“About a couple months of deep immersion into my new self-directed studies, a light switch flipped on... My newfound competence gave me a sense of confidence that I’d never felt before... With these results, my mindset changed, and I started to believe that anything was possible.”
Jim Kwik (Limitless)
The Power of a Supportive Home Environment
“If knowledge is power, then learning is our superpower.”
Jim Kwik (Limitless)
I believe that to be true. So, how do we tap into that superpower? It all starts at home.
A strong foundation for learning begins at home. Here are some characteristics of homes with high-achieving kids. These are simple things that anyone can do.
Parents Believe in a Better World
Parents who believe the world can improve pass on that hope to their kids. Optimism is critical to learning, and kids who believe in a better future are more motivated to learn.
Parents Offer Consistency
Clear rules and routines give kids stability, helping them focus on self-improvement over time. Consistency is vital for growth.
Parents Give Praise
Positive reinforcement encourages kids to repeat good behaviors. Everyone wants to do the right thing and know when they are on the right track.
Parents Are the Primary Educators
Parents who see themselves as their children's primary educators tend to have better-performing children. Schools are important, but children learn even more at home.
I have noticed these characteristics in the homes of high-performing students, and I’ve also had conversations with other educators who have noticed something similar. These characteristics are low-cost and can be done by anyone everywhere.
Maybe our parents did these things, perhaps they didn’t. Be advised that achievement is still possible even without these things. It’s more challenging, but humans are built to do hard things.
Building a Strong Foundation for Self-Education
A good foundation is essential because what we learn later will be judged by what we learn earlier. We can’t correctly discern what is true or false if we have a bad foundation. We can create a good foundation by studying foundational topics and practicing efficient learning methods.
Key Topics for a Strong Foundation
Hard Sciences (like biology, physics, chemistry, and derivative fields)
Psychology
Philosophy
Game Theory
Logic & Mathematics
Computers
A solid grasp of these subjects allows us to learn nearly anything else.
Efficient Learning Methods for Self-Education
There are two powerful ways to learn efficiently:
Teaching: Become an Expert by Teaching Others
We immediately discover our knowledge gaps and are incentivized to fill them quickly.
Honestly, I teach so I can learn. We can pick a topic we want to master and teach it to others. I want to become a learning expert, so I teach others how to learn. I also do this with other subjects, including career navigation, psychology, philosophy, finance, and entrepreneurship.
Reading: Learning is Faster When We Love Reading
Read what you love until you love to read.
Learning Pokémon gave me the confidence to study chemistry. Learning chemistry gave me the confidence to study chemical engineering. Learning chemical engineering gave me the confidence to study philosophy. If anyone had told me as a kid that I would love reading philosophy, I wouldn’t have believed them. Leveraging my love for Pokémon led me to learn more complex topics.
How do we know when we have built a good foundation?
We know we have a strong foundation when we are comfortable with picking up any book in any library and feel confident that we can:
Read it.
Understand it.
Determine if it is true or false.
Preparing Our Minds for Learning
Jim Kwik teaches that thinking is all about asking and answering questions. Every day, we ask ourselves thousands of questions, but a few dominate our thoughts. The most common questions shape how we see the world and behave. For example, someone constantly asking, “How do I get people to like me?” may become a people pleaser, hiding their thoughts and feelings.
Pay attention to dominant questions. Here are three questions that Jim Kwik recommends to guide our learning:
How can I use this?
Why must I use this?
When will I use this?
These questions help us take action and turn knowledge into power. Every time we answer a question or try something new, we rewire our brains thanks to neuroplasticity.
Purpose and Passion
Knowing our purpose and passion drives us to succeed. Passion is about experimenting and finding what makes us happy, while purpose can be thought of as sharing that joy with others. Our goal is to help others through our passions.
Jonathan Fields, founder of the Good Life Project, suggests that passions change over time. We will likely have many different passions throughout life, and embracing those changes is essential. I know my passions have changed throughout my life. With each passion I explore, I can make more and more unique connections.
Who Do We Think We Are?
“The two most powerful words in the English language are the shortest: ‘I am.’ Whatever you put after those two words determines your destiny.”
Jim Kwik (Limitless)
What we believe about ourselves shapes our lives. Whether we’re building strong foundations at home or guiding our self-education, it all starts with our mindset.
Let’s work together to give kids—and ourselves—the best chance at success. Whether they’re ours or someone else’s, the future depends on the foundations we lay today.