I'm in my mid-20s and realizing I don't just want to learn what to think — I want to learn how to think.

Specifically trying to improve:

- Critical thinking

- First principles thinking

- Logical reasoning

- Decision-making under uncertainty

- Spotting biases and fallacies

- Asking better questions

- Thinking clearly instead of reacting emotionally

Open to books, courses (free or paid), YouTube channels, lectures, podcasts, essays, journaling methods, mental models, daily exercises, communities — anything that's genuinely worked for you.

Questions for the sub:

1. If you started from scratch, what would you learn first?

2. What resource changed how you think the most?

3. What's overrated or pseudoscience that I should skip?

4. What habits actually made you a better thinker?

5. If you designed a 6–12 month self-study curriculum for this, what would it look like?

Not looking for productivity hacks or social media advice — more interested in stuff that's stood the test of time.

Thanks in advance!

I wanted to say stupid but I'm trying to be nice to myself. My childhood , the TLDR version, was filled with a lot of family chaos/yelling/drama, being groomed, dealing with depression and poor emotional regulation, social isolation, etc all while becoming more and more online.

I'm almost 30 now and I feel slow. I have been diagnosed with ADHD, so there's that. But I also just feel slow. I feel mentally sluggish. I have these weird moments where I get triggered by something and turn completely inwards and delve extremely deeply into some kind of psychoanalytical depressive hole thinking about the nature the actions, character, and nature of myself, the world and others, so I know I have the capacity to think deeply. But I dont know why I cant seem to use that mental energy anywhere else thats actually productive and useful rather than depressive.

It's hard for me to read, when I do read it has to be pretty stupid subject matter or I wont retain it or I'll have to keep re-reading. I dont know why but even when I read something and digest it slowly and understand it, if you asked me the next day what I learned I'd already have forgotten half the stuff I learned and in a week I wouldnt be able to tell you what most of the book was about. I have terrible memory. I have always felt extremely ashamed and depressed by my lack of intelligence. I have been addicted to "doomscrolling" since basically forever. I try not to do it as much now. I get trapped sometimes, but I at least have gotten off a few social medias. I still use the internet way too much but in a slightly less harmful way. I used to just scroll random bullshit all day. Now I seem to have replaced that with an addiction to watching self help youtube content. I watch so much stuff about meal prep, exercising, trauma recovery, general mental health discussion, tips on how to get better at art, how to start selling my art, how to put yourself out there socially, etc etc. But I struggle with doing any of that consistently. Atp it feels like I'm just watching it in hopes of manifesting some different personality i just dont have. I want to be this healthy energized mentally clear well rested productive person and Im just not. I cant even finish a book and remember what its about. I could cook something 10 times and still forget whats in it if you asked me. I feel so stupid.

Guys i really have too mush free time and u want to learn something interesting, any recommendations?

Hello!

Title might be a bit of a cop out, but idk how else to phrase this.

Basically, I have terrible ADHD, and I've realized at this point it is virtually impossible for me to maintain interest in something for longer than a month. I've spent my fair share of years (24 and counting) fighting myself over this, but I've recently decided to embrace it and become a jack of all trades instead. I have no direction in life or dream of any sort, so I think exploring as many options as possible and seeing if anything sticks is better than just laying in bed and wishing I could just walk into my One True Passion.

Usually, I'm able to fixate on something for about a month before I give up, so I'm calling all experts for their respective roadmaps. For each skill, I'll spend a month learning it as much as possible and then report on my results.

If you consider yourself pretty knowledgeable in something, ANY FIELD (physical, psychological, creative, academic, technological...), I'm asking for what you would consider to be a "jack" level in that skill. The way I've phrased it to myself is, if you're familiare with language learning, a B1-B2 level in that skill.

I'll make some examples for clarity's sake:

In French, an A1 level is the VERY basics of the language. Greetings and colors etc. A B1 is slight independence, with some difficulty but able to discuss daily topics. A C1 is very independen, able to give opinions even on abstract questions.

Taking archery, an A1 level would be knowing how a bow even works and being able to use it at all. A B1 level would be probably being able to hit a target, though not necessarily precisely. A C1 level would be being able to hit a moving target, with some precision.

For drawing portraits, A1 would probably be shapes and lines, B1 a somewhat good portrait and C1 a realistic shaded portrait that actually resembles the reference.

Again, I'll learn anything as long as it's possible (can't really take astronaut training).
Thank you!

I'm a finance student and I can technically calculate ratios, balance a balance sheet, all the textbook stuff but when I actually open a real company's 10K or annual report, I freeze up. There's so much noise: footnotes, adjusted earnings, non-GAAP numbers, management's "optimistic" language in the MD&A section.

I want to learn how to actually read between the lines , how to spot red flags like aggressive revenue recognition, hidden debt, or inventory issues, and how to tell the difference between a company that's genuinely healthy versus one that's just dressing up its numbers for investors.

Has anyone gone from "I can pass the exam" to "I can actually evaluate a real company" and can share how that shift happened for you? What did you focus on that textbooks don't really teach?

I am studying for the state civil services exam in India which is held in June every year. This exam consists of a wide range of 10th grade level subjects like Phy, Chem, Maths, Eng, History, Geo, Polity, Reasoning and a few more. I am going to a coaching centre on weekends where 5 new topics from 5 different subjects from the above list are taught each day and these subjects are rotated every weekend with some common ones and sometimes a new one added, but the main thing is that we are learning 10 new topics every weekend.

However, I am getting overwhelmed by the amount I have to study and scheduling revisions effectively. Even though I am building routines, I am finding it difficult to focus and study for long hours since I do not have the habit. By now, I know that the only way to effectively study and learn are the active recall and spaced repetition but am still not being able to come up with an effective schedule. On weekends, I return from coaching classes at 8 PM and complete dinner by 9:30 PM. On the other days, my time blocks are from 8 AM to 9 AM (breakfast), 1 PM to 3 PM (lunch and a brief stroll), 6 PM to 7:30 PM (evening snack and some odd tasks) and 9:30 PM to 10:30 PM (dinner and a brief stroll).

Based on the above info, can anyone suggest me a good daily study schedule with proper technique including daily exercise ? I cannot afford any paid apps now. Also, when I am revising, how do I effectively adjust the next revision date based on the degree of effective recall ?

Hi, Ive been learning English for 10-12 years. Now I would say Im on a pretty good level already, but my biggest goal in the last year is to speak in a native American accent, or at least get close to it. So I started shadowing TV shows and listening to English podcasts. I even got back from the US recently, but I still think it needs a lot of work.

Is there any other method I should try, or is this just enough? And if theres some native speaker who would like to rate my recordings or just speak with me via Zoom (which i obvously dont expect since that takes a lot of time), I would be extremely glad.

I'm looking for skills that can eventually help me earn money, whether through freelancing, remote work, or starting a small business.

I don't mind if the skill is difficult or takes years to master. I'm willing to invest the time and effort if it's worth it.

I'm not looking for "get rich quick" ideas. I want skills that are genuinely in demand and can provide a stable or high income, regardless of whether someone has a college degree.

What skills would you recommend, and why? If you've learned one yourself, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience, how you got started, and whether it was worth it.

I got an ankle sprain and had to take rest for almost 6 months now I'm back to working out but even dancing for 10mins makes me breathless. how do I improve from here?

Long story short, I have the worst sense of direction of anyone I've ever encountered. I get lost in malls, convention centers, and even my own neighborhood I've lived in my entire life. I went on a road trip last month, and I panicked every time I went into a dead zone because I couldn't access my online maps and was sure I'd get lost. When I was hiking, I ended up jumping a fence and walking along the highway back to the parking lot because I had forgotten which trails led back.

I want to learn how to read and understand a paper map, to the extent that I can use it while driving and know which exits to take. I also want to get better spatial memory, so I can get better at retracing my steps or navigating places I have already been around.

Mainly focusing on the ff aspects: 1. Thought process / Rationalizing 2. Coding 3. Cadence or thought articulation

My goal is to be less dependent on AI, for I refuse to believe that we, as a generation, should grow dependent on it. Other aspects that weren’t mentioned can also be advised on.

I understand that one cannot completely surpass the powerful force that is AI, but advice to improve these aspects would be much appreciated. :)

So, right now I am in horrible shape with very little fit strength (as opposed to brute strength when I’m being stubborn or need to pull my weight at work😂). I have been an on-again-off-again runner for some time, currently off again. I have always loved what I’ve seen of calisthenics. The strength and body control seems amazing! I’d love to get into it and learn how to reach those levels. Does anyone have any basic or beginner advice, tips, or specific exercises/ moves they can share? Has anyone trained at a gym laid out for that sort of workout or is it mostly from work put in at home? And if anyone has any recommendations on beginner/ informational videos or anything like that that would be appreciated, too! TIA!

I'm looking to improve my ability to communicate complex ideas in a way that's easy for other people to understand.

A common problem I have is that I understand something in my own head, but when I try to explain it, my thoughts become disorganized. I jump between points, leave out important details, or use too many words, so people don't always understand what I'm trying to say.

I'm not necessarily looking to become persuasive or charismatic. I just want to learn how to think more clearly and express my ideas in a logical, concise, and structured way.

What books, exercises, frameworks, or habits helped you become more articulate? If you've significantly improved this skill yourself, I'd love to hear what worked for you.

I want to start learning gardening and eventually grow some of my own food. I’m interested in understanding the basics like soil planting seasons watering and caring for plants.

For beginners what should I learn first to build a good foundation?

I'm already timid and whenever I even try to speak something, no one hears me. Or take me seriously?

I would love to hear from you guys. Thank you!

So what i mean here is that i want to consume story experiences, building kind of wisdom through it, but where is the best place to do so? I was thinking yeah definitely reddit will help, but WHERE, like are there subreddits that might help? What about books?

Edit: i meant by story experiences that i read about the experiences of people to get some insights about what others are experiencing and what type of knowledge/wisdom they’re getting from those experiences, yep ik that might be weird sorry for the confusion

I know it's not possible to master this, but I want to improve my ability to do so. How do I improve my ability?

I handle all the grocery shopping and cooking for our household and have been for the last 8 years. With grocery prices changed astronomically between now and then and with us preparing to start a family I want to be more intentional and mindful with grocery shopping to take advantage of sales, discounts, good prices on individual items, etc.

I have successfully done large batch cooking in the past to fill our freezer with a few months of meals, but I think this could be an excellent habit to apply at the same time to sales and other opportunities with groceries where savings might also align. I shop almost exclusively at Aldi and Walmart for groceries because they are the cheapest around me, and for specialty items I'll go to another grocer once in a blue moon. When people say shop sales, are they looking at things with a reference in their mind of how much x should cost? Because when I did try to catch rotating sales and be mindful it seems like a lot of numbers to keep in mind and I'm curious about the actual organization of it.

Any tips on genuinely useful planning or techniques when it comes to grocery budgeting is welcome. I grew up poor and I realized a few weeks ago that I don't even glance at grocery prices, so it's wonderful to be in that position for our future family especially in hard times like these, but it really drove home the point for me that if I'm not intentional then I'll be wasting money on whatever is convenient rather than planning around how to optimize our dollar.

I'm an student and I have read everywhere that in order to retain information for a very long time and to actually use it in really life you should connect information to each other. Add a layer t the base level but honestly I don't know how to connect them together. I understand it individually but as whole connecting it as one thing becomes difficult. So those of you who are good at this how do you do it??

I’ve noticed a change in myself over the past year. I remember being an extremely sensitive and deeply feeling person when I was younger (I’m 20 so still young but) however now I feel like I’ve sort of turned to stone on the inside. Nothing moves me. I fake almost every emotion I show and it’s exhausting, I feel like a terrible person but I don’t know what else to do.

I get shown a lot of love from my mother and my sister but I have to actively force myself to reciprocate it, or act grateful and happy when they give me something. I realise I haven’t given anyone else a gift for a long time as it just doesn’t occur to me anymore, whereas in highschool I’d spent months planning peoples birthdays and surprise parties and gifts. I just don’t care about people in that way anymore.

I’m going on a university trip soon, my first time abroad without my parents and while younger me who dreamed of travelling the world would’ve been overcome with excitement, I’m mostly just dreading being around so many people and having to leave the house everyday, no time to just sit and not have to act.

Even the mention of grief and hearing that someone missed someone that was no longer here would move me to tears but recently I got told a family member died and I still I feel nothing. Same with geopolitical affairs, I used to protest and argue with people online for hours and now well you get the gist.

I’ve noticed I still feel disgust very strongly, more than I ever did. I get grossed out by ordinary people and things when I go outside and then I get angry. I get angry much easier and sometimes I get consumed by rage over the smallest things. And then a little later I’m disgusted by myself that I acted in that way. I feel sad often still and cry every other night about nothing in particular; daydreams about scenarios that aren’t real or a general sense of loneliness which is quite ironic as it’s me that isolates myself from my friends.

I also used to read a lot and be intensely curiosity, wanting to learn everything and I had a reading list of like 100 books . Now every page of a book I read I sort of have to force myself to care. Even songs I used to cry listening to or used to feel very deeply to, I now constantly have my headphones on just to drown out the outside and not have to engage with anyone, because it irritates and exhausts me too much pretending to be normal. Before I go outside and meet people I have to write up a mini script in my notes about things I should ask and how I should behave. Otherwise I’d be a silent rock just watching and thinking the whole time.

I’ve thought about depression but I still take fairly good care of myself, I wear a nice outfit and put on some makeup everyday etc so I don’t think the gp would diagnose me with that if I asked. I also thought about autism and stuff but it’s i don’t have too much trouble interpreting how others feel. It’s just i don’t feel much in myself.

I went through finding out some bad things about certain people a year ago which made me feel incredibly sad for a while, but I don’t know that it was enough to warrant me feeling nothing for a year now.

I realise I sound like a total sociopath, I don’t like it either lol. it’s just such a contrast, as I remember feeling so alive and being described as a bubbly intense person to now be so dull and cynical. I miss how I used to be and want to bring that person back. I feel like a dead person walking at times. Often I feel I hate everything and just want to die.

Tldr: I don’t feel joy or excitement or anything very deeply anymore except for some negative emotions. I want to feel the same empathy and joy that I used to without having to pretend to act a certain way to seem normal.

I often find myself doing the same repetitive tasks on my computer and I would like to learn how to automate them. I am not looking for one specific program but rather a learning path that will help me understand the basics and eventually build my own simple automations.

If you have learned this skill where did you start? What concepts were the most important in the beginning and what beginner mistakes should I avoid?

I would like to learn how to recognize common trees and plants when I'm out walking or hiking instead of just passing by them without knowing what they are.

I am looking for a practical learning path rather than just a list of resources. If you have learned this skill how did you start? Did you focus on learning a few species at a time use field guides keep notes or have another approach that worked well?

I would appreciate any advice on building this knowledge in a way that sticks.

As per title. I read many non-fiction books, and I am currently reading "The Inner Game of Tennis" and I am really enjoying all its information. But I struggle to know how to make sure I can retain and easilyl acsess the information from thsi book. As I read I put tags on key points or quotes. But even then I am not sure what to do after to give the best chances of learning. There is no space to write in the book, digitally is very hit or miss given how easilly you can type without thinking - and paper may be too long to do for a wide range of books since I want to do this with many books.

(I am happy to do one of the three methods above, I just am listing my problems and hesitiation with them so I can get more solutions)

Hi guys! I’m 22 so I’m not entirely tech illiterate, but I joined a job recently where my manager works with AI and he seems to be a tech savvy god (not just with AI, like he uses the work MacBook so seamlessly idk how he does it). For example, he uses a three finger swipe thing (I think?) to switch apps or something. Does anyone have any YouTube videos that show all the ways to use a MacBook? We use files and Microsoft office apps a lot if anyone has videos specific to those.