Learn Like a Pro

Learn Like a Pro is a guide to better learning for readers of any age, drawing on current research in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. It is aimed at people who spend a lot of time studying but see little result, struggle to remember what they read, or keep putting off study because it feels dull and distracting.

Authors Dr. Barbara Oakley and Olav Schewe both had difficulties with learning earlier in life and eventually found techniques that let them master difficult material. They offer a crash course in those methods that works whatever the subject. Their approach rests on decades of writing, teaching, and research on learning, on connections with experts across many disciplines, and on feedback from thousands of students who have worked through the same struggles.

The book's central idea is that successful learners build up a toolbox of mental techniques over time and think critically about when and how to use each one. That habit helps them get the most from their brains, whether or not those brains seem naturally suited to learning, and the book shows readers how to do the same.