Learning is an Integration Problem

tech_integration

Gunnar Peterson is one of my favorite infosec thinkers. He’s extremely clear-minded in his approach to problems and solutions. Here he talks about security issues vs. integration issues:

We don’t have a security problem with integration requirements. We have an integration problem with security requirements. ~ Gunnar Peterson

I love this, and I think we can abstract it beyond just security.

I think the trick with learning is rarely gaining the new skill and almost always about how to integrate that skill into your life.

  • You don’t improve your vocabulary until you can understand/use the new words when reading, speaking, or writing

  • You don’t get better at martial arts by studying a new move until you can use it while sparring or fighting

  • You don’t benefit by learning a new daily exercise unless you do that exercise daily

That’s why systems are better than goals, and why the best way to learn from conferences is to update your standard methodology when you hear something, instead of just capturing a bunch of standalone ideas you’ll never do anything with.

It’s not about what you purchase, or studied, or heard about. It’s about how you can integrate those things into what you do every day.

Notes

  1. Follow Gunnar on Twitter and his blog.

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