Becoming a teacher for the first time exposes the gaps in your understanding of the subject you’re expected to teach. We all remember exceptional teachers who effortlessly explained complex topics. However, knowing the name of a technical concept is different from truly comprehending and explaining it. As Richard Feynman famously said, the key to explaining something is first understanding it yourself. Teaching becomes a powerful way to learn and organize your thoughts.

Let’s break down the four pillars of the Feynman Technique:

1. Choose a Concept: Select a concept you wish to learn and start a note in your preferred app. The concept should fit on one page, encouraging you to break it into manageable parts.
2. Teach Yourself or Someone Else: Write down everything you know about the topic and attempt to explain it to yourself. Alternatively, teach it to someone else, ideally outside your field. Discovering what you don’t know signals progress.
3. Refer Back to Resources: If you encounter challenges, revisit your study material—watch the video again, consult documentation, or search online to fill knowledge gaps.
4. Simplify and Use Analogies: Rearrange your notes for clarity and create analogies for easier understanding. Your goal is to articulate complex ideas in simple terms.

Embracing the Feynman Technique reveals the gaps in our understanding and fosters genuine mastery of complex subjects. As you navigate through learning, remember that clarity doesn’t come instantly. Through persistence and deliberate effort, you’ll transform vague concepts into deep-seated knowledge. Let this technique be your guide to true comprehension and confidence in your expertise.