Jim Kwik explains why cramming more information into your brain backfires. Your brain uses 20% of your body's energy on just 2% of your weight, and overloading it makes retrieval harder, not easier. The fix: organize what you know instead of just adding more.
Your brain makes up about 2% of your body weight, yet it uses roughly 20% of your total energy. That means this small organ is constantly working, especially when you're trying to focus. One of the most energy-demanding areas is this part of your brain called your prefrontal cortex. This is the part of your brain that handles your focus, your decision-making, your planning, your self-control. Basically everything you rely on when you're learning. Now here's where things can go wrong. Most people treat learning like they're trying to stuff everything into a backpack that's already full, assuming more input means more progress. But what happens when your backpack is overloaded? It gets heavier, so every step takes more effort. Second, when you actually need something, you you can't find it easy. Imagine that is what happens in your brain. Your brain doesn't get faster by carrying more weight. It gets faster and stronger by organizing what it carries, knowing what matters, where it belongs, how to access it when you need it most. And when you learn how to learn, you unlock this amazing limitless ability to master anything.
The Library of Minds: Brain Coach: How to Stay Sharp When AI Does the Thinking | Jim Kwik
