Dr Huberman and the **Super Protocol** to Learn Anything

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I’m a strong proponent of including hard-won scientific knowledge in our everyday teaching (see Mindset section). Not many things can rouse my interest after 21.00 on a Thursday evening, but Dr Huberman’s talk certainly did. It was outstanding (as usual from Andrew Huberman) and I’d like to share a few notes from the event.

1. The 10 Cogs of Human Performance (apply to anything)

Reminded me of Dynamic Systems Theory. Learning involves a range of internal and external factors that interplay and affect each other in a complex and ever-changing web.

2. Focus on the Physical Cog. Learning = Neuroplasticity.

If you’re 25 years old or younger, you can learn through both passive and active neuroplasticity.

25 and over, however, and neuroplasticity (learning) must be triggered actively, but it’s still possible to learn. This may seem obvious, but until the 1990s it was believed that over-25s couldn’t learn that much. We now know that this is a myth.

Worth underlining: no matter your age, if you pay enough attention to something, your brain will rewire.

3. The Learning Super Protocol

This slide summarises about 30 hours of detailed, referenced material on the Huberman Lab Podcast. Key ingredients: motivation; Circadian rhythms; 90-minute Ultradian cycles; Growth Mindset; dopamine and intermittent reward; sleep and neuroplasticity. Check out the Huberman Lab Podcast for a deep dive!

I’m going to start incorporating point 5) – micro-breaks – next week. It can be as simple as closing your eyes for 10 seconds every 15-20 minutes. I also need to consider how I’m setting the focus at the start of the lesson. White noise?

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If you liked this from Dr Huberman, you might enjoy:

Growth Mindset: The Science of Failure and Neuoplasticity

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