How to learn
Learn the system before you start passing judgement on it.
Try to focus on learning, rather than judging at the
start. Deliberately practice being
objective, not an advocate for or against the system or any rule of it, but a
dispassionate judge of the thing, as you learn it.
One reason for this is that if you come in with a viewpoint,
such as:
a. Patents only protect the big corporations and are a scam, or
b. The inventors and patent owners are the ones who are driving our entire civilization forward, and the challengers are just trying to cash in on the inventors’ work and creations. If you go into the lessons with such strong views, in any direction, you may be inclined to assimilate only the aspects that fit your judgement, and that can block you from learning all the facts. But then, periodically think about the functionality, sensibility and problems with each system you are learning about - be it the patent system, court system, drug approval system or whatever. Doing so may support your understanding of the system. By grasping what about it works well to achieve the stated purposes, and what does not, your brain can more deeply embed the system into the bailiwick of things it understands. Thus, that layer of understanding how fit for purpose the thing is can help solidify your knowledge of how the system functions. And, this should be applied to every rule of the system – what about it produces good results and what are the unintended consequences. Often thinking through that will encourage you to understand how the system or rule fits in a larger environment, and will also encourage you to take a closer look at the exceptions and particulars of how it functions. So, when you finish a module, or even the explanation of a rule, once you think you know how it works, objectively assess its function, while still keeping an open mind to other assessments of it.
a. Patents only protect the big corporations and are a scam, or
b. The inventors and patent owners are the ones who are driving our entire civilization forward, and the challengers are just trying to cash in on the inventors’ work and creations. If you go into the lessons with such strong views, in any direction, you may be inclined to assimilate only the aspects that fit your judgement, and that can block you from learning all the facts. But then, periodically think about the functionality, sensibility and problems with each system you are learning about - be it the patent system, court system, drug approval system or whatever. Doing so may support your understanding of the system. By grasping what about it works well to achieve the stated purposes, and what does not, your brain can more deeply embed the system into the bailiwick of things it understands. Thus, that layer of understanding how fit for purpose the thing is can help solidify your knowledge of how the system functions. And, this should be applied to every rule of the system – what about it produces good results and what are the unintended consequences. Often thinking through that will encourage you to understand how the system or rule fits in a larger environment, and will also encourage you to take a closer look at the exceptions and particulars of how it functions. So, when you finish a module, or even the explanation of a rule, once you think you know how it works, objectively assess its function, while still keeping an open mind to other assessments of it.
Look for the exceptions after you grasp the main channel.
Do not fight against every thought entering your head. In really extreme cases, the learner views the instructor as the enemy, and the learner tries to defend against having the instructor get any new fact or idea into the learner’s brain. Thus, the learner challenges each idea, and even fact, to see if the learner can find any rationale for why it is wrong and can be deflected and discarded. Some learners have even been taught that this is good critical thinking, and thus is the way to be an effective student. Consider that critical thinking and challenging ideas has a place, but can very much interfere with learning the basics of something. We suggest that for effective learning you should assess how critical you tend to be, and adjust it down if it is interfering with your learning. Try believing that the instructor is trying to help you, and let that help in.
Be an insider
Recognize any mental walls that exist or might emerge in
your mind that could stand in the way of you having valuable insights into
situations that involve patents or whatever topic is being covered, and set a
strategy to eliminate them.
For instance, one might have one or more of the following
views:
The patent system is for lawyers,
and I am not a lawyer.
The patent system is for the
researchers, and I do not do anything like that.
The patent system is for executives,
and I am only on the fringe of that.
The patent system is for smart
people and I am not smart enough.
Strategies to address these:
Dismiss the mental barrier as
stupid for inserting distinctions that do not need to limit your learning.
Assess each fact and concept as it
comes up in the course and realize that it is really not that difficult, and is
certainly something you can handle.
Be determined to “prove them wrong”
and disprove the stereotype, or whatever was in your mind.
And, optimally, create a
self-impression of yourself as an insider, a very capable and articulate executive
with both knowledge and insight to contribute.
Have the attitude of
an exploring child
Exploring without aggravation.
No need to immediately understand – but learn what emerges.
Appreciate the value of each module and concept and that their value does not depend on learning the entire subject.
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