E19: How I Learned to Learn (And Why It's Your Best Business Skill)

Founder Reality

A year ago I ordered takeout daily, couldn't speak French, and avoided the gym. Today I cook my own meals, read French business newspapers, and work out every day. The secret wasn't willpower or dramatic changes - it was discovering that learning how to learn is the ultimate founder superpower.

The learning misconception that kills progress:

• We think learning ends after college, then only happens during career transitions or layoffs
• Treat learning like New Year's resolutions - requiring massive preparation and formal classes
• Get intimidated by cookbooks, YouTube tutorials, and complex frameworks
• Assume we need immersion programs, personal trainers, or expensive courses to make progress
• Believe adults can't learn new languages or technical skills effectively

My accidental learning laboratory:

• Cooking: Started with HelloFresh meal kits instead of diving into complex recipes
• French: Used Duolingo 10-20 minutes daily instead of formal classes - missed only 5 days in 160
• Fitness: Weekend jogs starting at 300 meters, now running 5-6 kilometers with minimal breaks
• Coding: Learning Next.js and Astro after years of delegating everything to developers
• Each skill taught transferable patterns about consistency over intensity

The universal learning framework that works for everything:

• Start ridiculously simple - remove intimidation by making first step laughably easy
• Focus on daily consistency - 10-20 minutes beats 2-hour weekend sessions
• Practice fundamentals relentlessly - master basics before adding complexity
• Connect to your interests - French business vocab, healthy cooking, frameworks you actually use
• Embrace imperfection as progress - burned meals and terrible accents are part of the path

Why this matters for your business:

• Markets shift overnight, technologies emerge monthly, customer expectations evolve rapidly
• Staying technical while running companies creates competitive advantage over non-technical founders
• Physical fitness improves decision-making under stress and provides energy for demanding responsibilities
• Better AI collaboration requires domain expertise to reject bad ideas quickly
• Each skill reinforces others - language learning builds confidence that transfers to coding

The brutal math of compound learning:

• Improve 1% daily for a year = 37x better performance (3,700%, not 365%)
• Most founders chase moonshots and viral moments instead of daily improvements
• Consistency beats intensity every single time
• Building beats measuring every single time

The technical founder's wake-up call:

• Delegated coding for years, convinced AI would write all the code
• Realized you need domain expertise to use AI effectively - can't reject bad code suggestions without knowledge
• Flying a plane blind when you don't understand the frameworks your team uses
• Save time on code reviews and technical discussions when you actually understand the work

Red flags you're avoiding learning: Making excuses about time, complexity, or age limitations. Believing you need formal classes or perfect conditions to start. Treating learning as separate from business strategy. Delegating everything instead of maintaining core competencies.

Bottom line: Learning how to learn isn't personal development - it's your most critical business strategy. In 10 years everything will look different. Your ability to quickly acquire whatever skills you need determines both your company's survival and personal growth. Pick one skill, start with 10 minutes daily, focus on consistency over intensity.

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