Want to Learn Faster? Teach Someone Else!
The Surprising Way Teaching Others Helps You Learn.
Have you ever noticed that explaining something to someone else makes you understand it better yourself? Maybe you’ve helped a friend with a tricky subject and suddenly realized you grasp it more clearly than before. This isn’t just a coincidence—it’s backed by science.
Teaching others is one of the most powerful ways to solidify your knowledge. It forces you to organize information, clarify concepts, and identify gaps in your understanding. This is why educators, mentors, and leaders often say they learn just as much as their students.
Why Teaching Improves Knowledge Retention
Two key principles explain why teaching accelerates learning:
1️⃣ The Feynman Technique – Named after physicist Richard Feynman, this method involves explaining a concept in simple terms as if teaching a child. If you struggle, it reveals areas where you need deeper understanding.
2️⃣ The Protégé Effect – Research shows that when we teach others, we learn better ourselves. The act of explaining, summarizing, and answering questions reinforces our own memory and comprehension.
When we teach, we:
- Process information deeply, which strengthens recall.
- Identify knowledge gaps, prompting us to fill them.
- Simplify complex ideas, making them easier to retrieve later.
- Boost confidence, reinforcing mastery of the subject.
How to Use Teaching as a Study Strategy
You don’t have to be a teacher to benefit from this approach. Here are ways to integrate teaching into your learning routine:
✅ Teach a friend or study group – Even if they’re not in your subject, explaining aloud helps you structure your thoughts.
✅ Teach an imaginary student – Talk out loud as if you’re teaching someone who knows nothing about the topic.
✅ Write out your explanation – Create a guide, a blog post, or even micro-content cards that explain concepts in simple terms.
✅ Use micro-content cards – Instead of just reading facts, turn them into “teach-back” prompts where you explain the idea from memory.
Beyond Studying: Teaching for Professional & Leadership Growth
Teaching isn’t just for students—it’s an essential skill in professional and leadership development.
- Mentoring others deepens your expertise. When you coach a colleague or guide a team, you refine your own understanding and communication skills.
- Great leaders are great teachers. Whether explaining a strategy, onboarding a new team member, or breaking down complex topics, strong leaders know how to make knowledge accessible.
- Making knowledge simple makes you better at your job. If you can explain it clearly, you truly understand it.
Final Thoughts: Make Teaching Part of Your Learning Process
Next time you need to learn something new, don’t just read or memorize—teach it. Find someone to explain it to, even if it’s just yourself. Turn knowledge into something you can share, and watch how much faster and deeper you learn.
Ready to put this into action? Pick a topic, explain it to someone (or something), and see the difference for yourself!
