What is an Autodidact and How to Become One!
If you’re not self-made in at least one field, then you aren’t going to make it.
‘Is anyone really self-made?’
Yes.
In the land of the mind, desire is needed.
The desire shows who wants it and who doesn’t.
It’s easy to make the argument that no one is self-made in anything.
Someone can build an app that will revolutionize the world.
That’s when a person from the sidelines will be like:
‘Good thing the people before him made the phone, internet & discovered electricity!’
Undermining the success of the app.
To be an autodidact, which means to be self-taught…
You need to have desire.
It all comes down to knowing for yourself that you are self-made in at least 1 field.
It’s because your desire was able to leave an imprint on reality.
Mindset of an Autodidact
You learn with the head.
You unlearn with the heart.
‘How do I relearn?’
With the head and the heart.
As complexity builds in our modern world, becoming an autodidact is a game of priority.
Some are not prioritizing it because they think it’s impossible.
‘Being self-taught in a field is not doable! I need teachers, textbooks & a formal curriculum,’ they say.
Due to their lack of desire, they lack commitment.
On the other hand, another group of people are accidentally becoming autodidacts.
They start picking up a skillset.
The more results they see, the more they want to see more results.
This causes them to cross combine subjects and learn more.
Accidentally, an autodidact is formed.
Plenty of you reading this may have been like:
‘Man, I’ve been learning different topics & applying it in the real world. I never knew there was a phrase for what I was doing!’
There absolutely is.
You are an autodidact in the making.
Important Subjects to Become an Autodidact
Communication skills are not just about how well you can speak.
That’s only a fragment of it.
At the fundamental level, communication skills come down to knowing how you work.
An autodidact is self-taught in at least 1 field.
Which means they are capable of learning.
The question is, are you learning by accident or is there a framework that you’re following?
Don’t answer that yet.
- Neuroplasticity is a great topic to learn about.
This is when neurons that fire together wire together.
Knowledge in this subject allows you to feel bold.
When you learn, there are some sensations going on in the head.
A part of you feels more convinced that connections are being formed.
- Deliberate practice is another topic to learn a bit more about.
This is when you are practicing with an intention rather than just practicing for the sake of practicing.
Quality is prioritized.
To have quality, you need a bunch of quantity.
So, in the beginning stages of trying to be self-taught on a subject, you may WANT to be deliberate.
But you have no clue what to be deliberate about.
That’s fine. Just put in the reps.
Then a few leverage points in your subject will stick out.
These are the important parts to focus on.
‘What would you say is the top subject to know about to become an autodidact?’
Curiosity.
Curiosity allows you to learn in 10 minutes what someone else may require 10 years for.
‘Is there a way to systemize curiosity?’
Sure.
Personality Based Polymath
‘Wait, Armani, you were just using the phrase, autodidact. Now you’re using another phrase? Polymath??’
Almost the same thing.
I like to view autodidact as the process. The lifestyle.
Polymath is the result.
A polymath is someone who is knowledgeable in many fields.
When you envision a polymath, what do you envision?
‘I envision someone who is grand with the intellect. Benjamin Franklin, Leonardi Davinci, Albert Einstein!’
Great names that you provided.
However, that’s not the target you want to set.
‘Then what target should I set?’
Be a personality-based polymath.
This is when you look IN before looking out.
What are some skills that you are naturally curious about?
You can consume hours of material on this topic without being asked.
‘Does it have to be productive?’
Don’t think like that …yet.
Just find out what it is that you are naturally curious about.
‘Okay, comic books.’
Great, now learn everything on that topic.
‘On comic books? I thought I was supposed to be trying to get smart. Not wasting my time.’
You’re not wasting your time.
By learning about comic books, you will naturally transition into other fields such as:
–linguistics intelligence, information technology, storytelling, media companies, and much more.
Your access of entry was seamless because you started off with a subject that you were naturally curious about.
While others make the mistake of starting with a topic they despise.
I call it the personality-based polymath because you are building a curriculum around your interests.
It becomes easier to be self-taught when curiosity is fueling the learning experience.
How to Get Started Being an Autodidact
Now you know what an autodidact is.
Rather than thinking about how others can save you & teach you…
You’re inspired to teach yourself.
To be honest, if you’re reading this, you have all that you need.
And that’s an internet connection.
An internet connection can turn an idiotic person into less idiotic.
What turns less idiotic to genius is APPLICATION.
All the information means nothing if the information is not applied.
In the example earlier, I talked about learning all there is to know about comics.
Great, learn about it.
Eventually, gear the mind towards creation mode.
What is it that you want to do with the information?
I was always a bit curious about writing.
Not that curious though. The reason I wasn’t too curious was because I thought writing had to be a boring process.
Anyways, I learned more about the topic over time.
My gut told me the subject of writing had something big for me in the future.
Eventually, I learned that I didn’t have to write with being grammar-focused first.
I could write like I talked.
^After learning that simple idea, I was hooked.
Since then, I have invested in writing skills.
Other cross combinations that happened from writing skills were learning topics on:
-Creating digital assets.
-Setting up a WordPress site.
-Learning digital networking etc.
It only takes 1 skill set to change your life forever.
Unlocking your Inner Autodidact
Communication skills are more than speaking.
It is more than writing.
The core of communication skills is having something worth sharing.
It’s one thing when you are sitting on your butt reading about someone else’s experiences.
It’s a different ball game when you are building your own experiences.
Then putting those experiences into words.
That’s the golden formula for communication.
- If you think you can learn whatever you desire, then you are right.
- If you think you cannot learn whatever you desire, then you are right.
Which “right” are you going for?
To understand the mind in detail as you progress on your autodidact journey, check out the Level Up Mentality.
In this book, you will learn the art of skill-building, deliberate practice, how to build neural paths for greatness and much more!
Grab a copy here.
– ArmaniTalks 
