EP# 79 : How to Improve Learning Effectiveness Part 2: Write Notes You Actually Understand

Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever had one of those "panic nights"? You know exactly what I’m talking about. Maybe you have a massive exam tomorrow morning, or perhaps you have to deliver a high-stakes presentation at work. You sit down, you’ve got your coffee, and you start cramming. You’re pushing information into your brain like you’re trying to pack a 50kg suitcase into a tiny overhead bin.

But what if I told you that your brain isn't broken? What if I told you it’s not about how hard you work or how high your IQ is? The truth is much simpler, yet much more profound: You’re struggling simply because you are fighting against your own brain.

Today, we are going to talk about a book that is going to teach you exactly how to do that. We’re moving from "blocking the train" to "driving the Shinkansen."
Welcome back! Today’s featured book: Amazing Memory Techniques Only Top Medical Students Know. In Japanese, it’s even more descriptive—it’s about how to make your brain "sharper" and your thinking "clearer" the moment you wake up.

The author is the renowned Japanese neuroscientist, Dr. Shigeki Tsukiyama. Dr. Tsukiyama has spent his career studying the human brain, and he has a very encouraging message for all of us: He believes that the natural "hardware" of our brains—our innate talent—isn't actually that different from person to person.

So, what makes the difference between a "genius" and someone who struggles to remember where they put their keys? It’s all about how you use the brain. According to the doctor, the secret to success isn't just about "working hard"—it’s about hitting the "Golden Window" of brain activity.

Are you the person who listens to a teacher or a boss and scribbles down every single word they say? "The teacher said 'furthermore,' so I must write 'furthermore'!" If that’s you, Dr. Tsukiyama might walk over, look at your notebook, and sadly shake his head. He’d probably say: "My friend, you aren't learning. You’re just practicing your handwriting."

Ouch, right? That hits close to home for many of us.
The book presents a very powerful, somewhat shocking perspective: If you are just "memorizing by rote"—meaning you’re just swallowing facts whole without chewing them—it doesn't matter if you pass the test. Even if you scrape by and get a passing grade, that information will be useless to you in the real world. Why? Because you don't own it.

Think about your career. In the workplace, nobody cares if you can recite a textbook. They care if you can solve a problem. If you’ve only "memorized" the solution but don't understand the "why" behind it, the moment the situation changes even slightly, you’ll be lost.

So, how do we fix this? The subtitle of today’s episode gives us the answer: Write notes that you can actually understand and explain.

Dr. Tsukiyama suggests that instead of being a human tape recorder, we should be "translators." When you hear a piece of information, don't just pass it from your ears to your pen. Let it stop in your brain for a coffee break. Ask yourself: "How would I explain this to a friend? What does this actually mean in my own words?"

When you rewrite a concept in your own language, you are essentially "tagging" that information in your brain. You’re creating a shortcut that your brain can actually find later. It’s the difference between throwing a shirt into a giant pile of laundry and hanging it up neatly in a closet. One takes a little more effort upfront, but the other saves you hours of frustration later.

Today, I want to leave you with one small challenge. The next time you are in a meeting or reading a book, don't write down what the speaker said. Write down what you heard. Translate it. Make it yours. Stop fighting the train, and start building your tracks.