by Blake Boles

!
blakeboles.com
facebook.com/blakeboles
@blakeboles
Have you ever taken a class
about…
!

learning how to learn?

 What is
“self-directed learning”?
What Self-Directed
Learners Do
What Self-Directed
Learners Don’t Do
• vilify teaching or structure

• hang around
unchallenging places and
with bored people

• hide their passions and

interests to please others

• learn in total isolation

• worry that if they don’t

learn something right now,
it will be too late
Self-motivation
 Are you avoiding work
Discipline, or
Dissected are you working on the
wrong thing?

• If you don’t do this

work, will you feel
physically ill?

• Do you feel like

you’re making a
difference?

• Does self-motivation
take over after the
first hump?
Cages
and
Keys
 Cage Key

I can’t I could if I

I should I choose to

I don’t know I’ll find out

I wish I’ll make a plan

I hate I prefer

I have to I get to

One Right Answer —> Multiple Right Answers

52 Weeks,
52 Jobs
The Writing
Retreat
Ultimately, how do self-directed
learners motivate themselves?
!

They get consent.

• Understand what you’re committing to

• Know what the alternatives are

• Retain the power to say “No”

(even after you’ve said “Yes”)
 Don't you make your children learn anything?!
!
Make? No. I don't make them learn anything. I inquire.
I suggest. I offer incentives. But I do not make. I am
not their central planner. That job is taken. My job isn't
to decree what they will be good at or what they will
do or how they will do it. I am not king in their lives.
They are sovereign. Their minds belong to them. It is
their property, after all.
My job is to approach them with humility and know
that my ability to discern what they are to be or to do
or to excel in is nothing compared to theirs. My job is
to assist them in their discernment. To make
experiences, work, play, resources, teachers,
mentors, and collaborators available to them to help
them as they construct themselves. To talk things
through with them, but not talk it all to death. My job is
to sit down, shut up, and serve when I can. I direct
nothing. Less of me. More of them.
!
—Ana Martin
(“The Libertarian Homeschooler” on Facebook)
 “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely
exercised for the good of its victims may
be the most oppressive.”

–C.S. Lewis
Learning online
lmgtfy.com
There are no stupid
questions

just “you couldn’t f***ing

google that?” questions.
 Can You Use Google to…

• Prepare for a job interview?

• Find someone’s email address?

• Learn how to change an oil filter, butcher a

chicken, or install a window?

• Find any place of business and its hours,

customer reviews, and driving directions?
 Can You…

• Read five different perspectives on the same piece

of news?

• Figure out the cheapest way to buy a flight, book, or

any other consumer product?

• Use search operators like: “quotes” -minus site: ?

(Not sure where to start?)

Just google it.

The
Power
of an
E-mail
The Power of a Smartphone
The Power of a Digital Paper Trail
(girl walk video)
A Few Digital Paper Trails
• Videos

• Images (digital or analog)

• Audio (podcasts, interviews)

• Writing (blogs, articles, books, how-to)

• Social media (e.g. tweets)

• Functional things: websites, programs, apps

Learning offline
 MOOCs
(Massive Open Online Courses)
 Want to learn what love is?
Throw yourself into relationships.
!
Want to discuss novels?
Find other book lovers.
!
Want to tell science fact from science fiction?
Meet an actual scientist.
The Fall
Retreat
Only humans can teach: work habits, self-regulation,
conscientiousness, grit, and focus.
!
Only humans can serve as: motivational coaches,
entertainers, and role models.

“We are the music makers, and we are the

dreamers of dreams.”

—Arthur O’Shaughnessy
(or, Willy Wonka)
 Practice,
Deliberately
 Deliberate Practice is:
• focused on a very specific goal

• designed to nudge you just past your current level of

performance: not too hard, not too easy

• repeatable

• dependent on constant feedback

• mentally demanding (5 hours per day, max)

• not much fun: it’s strenuous and painful

To Find A Good Deliberate
Practice Coach: (source: Daniel Coyle)

• Avoid someone who reminds you of a courteous

waiter. They should scare you a little.

• Find someone who watches you closely, prefers

jumping into activities over extensive talking, and
gives honest feedback.

• Seek someone who gives short, clear directions.

• Seek someone who loves teaching fundamentals.

• Other things being equal, pick the older person.

From self-directed
learning to
“the real world”
Carsie Blanton & The Kickstarter MBA
• Who are you?

• What are you building?

• What are you offering?

• Who cares?

• How might you fail?

• Do other people trust

you?

Jazz Is for Everybody • How can I trust you?

Live Below Your Means

(become
time-wealthy)
 Minimum Viable Personality

MOST IMPORTANT STEP

FOR BUILD PRODUCT IS
BUILD PRODUCT

SECOND MOST
IMPORTANT IS BUILD
PERSONALITY FOR
PRODUCT.

NO HAVE PERSONALITY?
PRODUCT BORING, NO
ONE WANT.
@FAKEGRIMLOCK
 1. HOW YOU CHANGE
CUSTOMER'S LIFE?

2. WHAT YOU STAND FOR?

3. WHO OR WHAT YOU HATE?

NOW HAVE MISSION, VALUES, ENEMY.

THAT ENOUGH FOR MINIMUM VIABLE
PERSONALITY.
 My MVP:
• How would change people’s lives? By
showing them new educational paths.

• What did I stand for? Self-directed learning.

• What did I hate? Wasting young people’s time

in compulsory schooling when there are so
many other engaging, productive, and
enjoyable things to do.

(Carsie, Sean, Jonah, too)

 “An organization filled with honest, motivated,
connected, eager, learning, experimenting, ethical and
driven people will always defeat the one that merely
has talent. Every time.”
!
—Seth Godin
That’s some of…
 Connect with me!
@ blakeboles.com

• Cat on laptop: sskennel

• Violinists: agullalee

• Laptop group: Saad Faruque

• Austin Kleon: Austin Kleon

• (all other images used with

permission or fair use)