Learning as building connections
I have found that learning is not always most effective for me when it follows a strict, linear order. I often find that I learn better when I allow myself to compare ideas horizontally, actively building connections between different concepts as they arise.
What matters most to me is not mastering isolated pieces of knowledge one by one, but truly sensing how different ideas relate to each other. I have noticed that once those connections start to form within my mind, a broader understanding begins to emerge naturally.
With tools like ChatGPT, I have realized that this non-linear approach fits my cognitive style particularly well. Rather than forcing myself to start from a large, complex framework and memorizing everything within it, I tend to build my knowledge from the bottom up. I begin with small, concrete questions and gradually weave them together. This process keeps my mind engaged and curious; I find my efficiency is much higher when my attention remains active and investigative rather than passive.
Of course, I don’t believe the bigger picture is unimportant. From time to time, I find it necessary to step back and place the individual details I’ve gathered into a broader context. For me, the details and the overall structure must support each other.
Every time I pause to look at the bigger picture, I often discover two things happening simultaneously. On one hand, the broader view sometimes reveals an entirely new area to me, something that feels significant enough to become a new chapter of study on its own. On the other hand, I see concepts in the larger framework that are closely related to what I have just uncovered, and when I notice those links, everything suddenly clicks into place.
What fascinates me is that these moments of clarity often lead me beyond the current topic. A connection I form in one area can point me toward another, seemingly unrelated field, where similar ideas appear in a new form. This constant movement between the details and the bigger picture is how I feel my own understanding gradually deepens and expands.