Self Education: Designing your own curriculum

[GuestUser112]

Hey dudes and dudettes,

I'm new to this forum, though I've read Millionaire Fastlane three times now, and finally decided to come around here. Real glad I did, I completely underestimated the power of surrounding yourself (at least virtually) with like-minded people. But I digress.


So I want to start this thread to see if anybody can offer any tips as to how they self educate. Before I read Millionaire Fastlane , I went to university for a year (cause it was the thing to do) before I dropped out. I didn't learn shit there. Except for the basics of microeconomics. And now I'm trying to educate myself, but finding it more difficult to stay on task when I'm not in a classroom environment. I want to design my own curriculum so I can learn computer programming, sales, and business - related things like accounting and stuff. Is anybody else approaching their education the same way? How do you guys educate yourselves, and are there any resources you would recommend?

I've been reading books and making notes on them, though it takes some time to filter through the shit I don't want to learn to get at the stuff I do want to learn. And half of the time I'm not sure exactly what I want to learn, what is useful and what isn't. Hard roads forge winners I suppose. What are your thoughts?

Btw for anybody interested in learning to code, visit Code.org. There is a video on the main page that is pretty inspirational, and the site has links to a bunch of free online schools.

 

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[johnp]

I want to design my own curriculum so I can learn computer programming, sales, and business -

My opinion....

Don't sit down and design a curriculum. That seems like a waste of time. Do it if you have nothing better to do I guess. But after college I realized that the best way to learn is by doing. Start doing something and then you will know exactly what you have to learn. Your curriculum, if you even want to call it that, will mold to your needs WHILE TAKING ACTION. I try to keep my readings and research tailored to what I'm trying to learn at the moment. One day I might need to learn how to do some advanced thing in CSS, so I'll read and research for that. Then the next day I might need to know how to close on the phone.......I'm sure you get the picture.

I believe that it all comes down to this..Your time is limited. A day that passes without some sort of action towards your end goal is a day wasted...a day that you will NEVER get back. Don't bullshit around. Do something and learn while doing. you'll see...

 

[dknise]

Btw for anybody interested in learning to code, visit Code.org. There is a video on the main page that is pretty inspirational, and the site has links to a bunch of free online schools.

That video is awesomeee I remember when it came out, but!

I've said it a bazillion times and I'll say it a bazillion more... I've never worked with anyone who learned to code from online schools. You'll never learn as much from an online course as you would by just buying a book on the language/framework/technology and reading it cover to cover. Often times, the curriculumn and tutorials are setup by amateur coders. If you buy the book, chances are the person who wrote it is the person who either designed the technology or is an absolute freaking expert in it.

 

[GuestUser112]

Thanks guys both of you make good points, I definitely wasn't making much progress doing what I was doing. I'm going to go to the bookstore now and design a webpage through trial and error. This forum is the bee's knee's.

 

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[JackTackett]

Dream catcher, first determined the best way you learn. Not everyone learns the same way. I'll also second getting hands on and actually doing what you're trying to do. Also, don't be afraid to pick up the phone or write an email to someone to ask questions, you'll be surprised at how many folks don't mind helping others out ( just don't become a leach ).
As for programming, I was once a great one but allowed the Peter principle to take me into management before I wised up and started my own company, so if you have any questions just let me know. In programming getting a solid foundation in data structures and programming language theory will allow you to learn a new programming language pretty quickly or be able to maintain existing code even if you're not familiar with the coding language.
Finally, unless someone's life is at stake - which is why I've never worked in medical devices or environmental systems, don't try to over build your system. Especially if your building a program for the fast lane. Something another programmer entrepreneur told me was if you're not embarrassed by your first code release then you spent too much time writing it- I've found over the years getting it out there and running is more important than getting your code perfect.
Best of luck,
Jack

 

[socaldude]

Although I earned my college degree this May(double major finance and entrepreneurship) I am mostly a self educated person.

Theres a tiny debate here at the forum: Learn as you go, step by step or sit down and read 50 books?

There are pros and cons to both. One of them can save you a lot of time and the other can help you from potentially starting off on the wrong premise.

Here are the areas I focus on that I think influence your ability as an entrepreneur:

1. Psychology
2. Finance
3. Accounting
4. Communication Skills
5. Selling
6. Critical thinking
7. Basic entrepreneurship

Buy one book in each category and read it. Then learn as you go. So my opinion is sit down and read and learn as you go.

 

[FastLearner]

I'm in the same situation as you. I'm in University though I won't drop out because my parents would be completely infuriated, so I've decided to take time and learn HTML, XHTML, HTML5 and CSS. I read all the time and learn from the internet. I spend 12 hours a day on my learning, I don't even watch television anymore. My television is collecting dust along with my Directv plan.. At the moment I feel as though I'm just wasting my parents money being in college, but I can't convince them that lol. I hope to accomplish something within the year or so because I don't intend on getting a degree, at least not on their terms. I'd rather become an entrepreneur, learn by doing and learn for pleasure. I love education but I hate school. Always have.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Start doing something and then you will know exactly what you have to learn. Your curriculum, if you even want to call it that, will mold to your needs WHILE TAKING ACTION.

I second this.

Your curriculum shouldl follow the problem which you seek to solve. Be driven to learn what needs to be done. One day it might be CSS, the next day, copy-writing. This is how I taught myself everything because IMO, it's so much easier to see something that needs to be done, and then going to learn how. For those with little money and going the bootstrapped route, this is the method I fully recommend.

For example, if creating your new product and it consists of:

A + B + C + D + E + F + G + H + I + J + K = Your Solution

Your first step is just to learn A. Don't worry about C, or F, or K -- knock out "A" first. Focus on "A" only. After you conquer "A", move to "B". Repeat. Once you get to "K", you'll be surprised at just how smart you got, and all things new things you learned. And, you'll have a great new product/system/service, or whatever you sought to solve.

 

[Kencan98]

I'll add to the already great advice posted here. One of the mistakes I made early on is learning from people who had no clue what they were talking about. I'd buy 'that course' on how to make 9 million dollars in 25 seconds while sleeping...and sometimes I'd take it seriously.

My opinion is that if marketing and learning are crossed you have a problem. Meaning that if you are learning how to code from someone who teaches how to code because they know they can sell it like crazy, you might have a problem. I decided back in December of last year that I will only learn from people with a serious track record of success in the category I am looking to learn.

I wanted to learn how to license - Stephen Key was where I went.
I wanted to learn how to start with nothing and make millions in under 10 years - MJ is who I study.

If you want to learn marketing, the topic really doesn't matter. You can learn just as much about marketing from the guy who makes a million a month selling weight loss ebooks as you can from the girl who did 5 multi-million dollar "make money online" launches. The marketing education is how the product is brought to you and sold not what's between the covers.

Good luck!

 

[Jazzcat]

Self directed education is not an option for success, it's a must. Having a basic curriculum as a guide is helpful. May I add a few areas of study to the already excellent suggestions that have been made.

*Marketing. Poor marketing=poor sales=poor cash flow=no business.
*Public Speaking. Eventually, leaders will want to see you defend your ideas eye to eye, belly button to belly button.
*Negotiation. There is never money left on the table. Money always finds it's way to the pocket of the superior negotiator.
*Uncompromising Time Protection. Demand time respect and reciprocate in kind. Wasting your time is a self-mutilation.

I would also recommend one other thing to add to the self education tool bag. A mentor. My father was my mentor but I lost him early in life. I made the mistake of not seeking and gaining the trust of a mentor for many crucial years of my young professional life. It cost me dearly at times and stunted my business growth.

One other thing. If I haven't applied it, I haven't learned it. I have to take action to activate the skill.

 

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[Operation_OPM]

Attack the hardest subject for you first. Use all means available..books,audio-books,video's, websites,forums,lectures,shadowing ect.ect. and put the knowledge to use immediately.

Also, focus on sharpening your memory, focus and reading speed/comprehension. This is one of the first lessons in ancient education since majority of it was oral(hint:content was usually on ones self and ones environment). A basic "how to increase your..." web search will do, there plenty of books on the subject...most are in the psychology/self help/new age/clearance section. I even recommend keeping a few LSAT prep/test on the bookshelf as majority of it test logic/reasoning/critical thinking.

Master this and the content you study will be irrelevant, your mind will be making connections, solving problems and developing concepts when you don't even know it... being aware of this and having access to it is true learning. Increase your capacity for creating, learning, retention and recall.

Learn about how the mind and consciousness in its many forms works, focus on effectively mastering that. Sudoku, meditation, yoga, word puzzle, number games, chess, recreational reading, detoxing, eating a heavy plant/herb based diet, active lucid dreaming and deep quality sleep are good starter tools to keep your mind sharp and agile...and colon clean!:groove:

BTW..read the books mentioned in footnotes, take less notes and apply MORE action

 

[80/20]

Leverage the work of others.

Learn from the learners.

In any field there are people who have done a lot of the work already.

Marketing: Jay Abraham has studied the masters and his information is based on that.

Personal Development: Anthony Robbins looked at a lot of different fields and bundled the best ones together.

Rich Schefren and Eben Pagan are learning machines.

Check out the following:

A Peek Into My Reading Process by Rich Schefren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyW9AjplDfY

Also people who have come into contact with a lot of people within a certain field. Michael Gerber (The E-Myth - well worth a read) is a business consultant who has worked with thousands of businesses, as has Jay Abraham.

Good luck!