Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, had a knack for making the complex seem simple. He didn’t just understand things—he knew them, inside and out, in a way that let him explain even the trickiest concepts to a first-year student or a casual bystander. His secret? A deceptively simple method that forces clarity, uncovers gaps in knowledge, and rewires the brain for deep understanding. It’s called the Feynman Technique, and if you want to learn something—not just memorize it—this is your best shot.
Step 1: Pick a Concept and Teach It Like You’re Explaining It to a Kid
Feynman believed that if you can’t explain something simply, you don’t really understand it. Pick a concept—anything from quantum mechanics to investing strategies to how photosynthesis works—and write it down as if you’re teaching it to a child. Use plain, everyday language. No jargon, no shortcuts. If you find yourself relying on technical terms, pause. Ask yourself: Do I actually understand what this means, or am I just repeating something I read?
Step 2: Identify the Gaps and Go Back to the Source
As you explain the concept in simple terms, you’ll inevitably hit walls—things that sound fuzzy, connections that don’t quite make sense. That’s good. These are the cracks in your understanding. Instead of ignoring them, zero in on them. Go back to the book, the lecture, the research paper, and dig in. Fill in those gaps. Then, return to step one and try explaining it again.
Step 3: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
The best explanations are elegant and clear. Once you’ve filled in the gaps, rewrite your explanation again, but this time, aim for even more simplicity. Use analogies. Tell a story. Strip away any unnecessary complexity. The goal isn’t just to sound smart—it’s to make the concept inescapably clear.
Step 4: Test It in the Wild
You think you’ve got it? Prove it. Find a friend, a family member, or even an imaginary audience, and teach them. Watch for puzzled looks. Answer their questions. If they don’t get it, don’t blame them—fix your explanation. This process forces you to refine your thinking until there’s no ambiguity left.
Why This Works
The Feynman Technique forces your brain out of passive learning mode. Instead of just recognizing information when you see it, you’re actively reconstructing it, making it your own. This shifts knowledge from something fragile—easily forgotten after a test—to something deeply embedded, ready to be used whenever you need it.
So the next time you want to truly learn something, don’t just read it. Don’t just listen to a lecture. Teach it. Explain it. Wrestle with it until it’s simple. Feynman didn’t just crack the code of physics—he cracked the code of learning itself.