Reading to Learn, Learning to Read
John Carlisle
Whenever I read Poker Player, I always see a wide variety of helpful and interesting information presented in each issue. This publication is always a great informational source on the current state of poker, as you can always find tournament results from all over the globe, reviews of poker rooms and poker books, and even profiles of famous poker players of past and present. This publication also always has a great entertainment value, as it has fictional poker stories and anecdotes from poker veterans with tales from the felt. In addition, Poker Player is filled with great instructional articles aimed at helping the reader to hone his/her game. If you are reading the articles from writers such as Ashley Adams and George Epstein with the intention of learning from their words, you may need to check if you reading with a focused purpose and goal.
Cognitive and biological psychologists have studied how our brains filter and process incoming information in differing fashions. As you might imagine, our mind works much differently if we are reading a fiction novel for pleasure versus reading a college-level Trigonometry textbook. The same concept holds true as you read poker information. Feel free to read the anecdotes and poker history stories in passing. Perhaps while you wait for your tournament to begin you can enjoy a funny story about a bad beat an old pro encountered. But when you are reading to learn, you should be engaged in an active learning style to be sure the instructions are absorbed.
Experts say that after three days, our retention of learning usually follows the following pattern:
It is clear that adults learn by reading, listening, and watching, but we will learn better if we are actively involved in the learning process. In other words, reading the articles of this publication (or poker books on the market) will not automatically “sink in” to produce a greater knowledge base. From the percentages chart, it is apparent that actively processing information increases the retention (learning) that will occur. So, take notes as you read a column by an instructional author in a magazine or book. Think through his/her tips, and discuss them with a poker buddy. Mostly, be sure that you put them into ACTION! We remember learning at a 90% rate when it is something that we have actively done. We call this active learning, and it is the most undeniably strong way that we improve our knowledge base.
If you are going to take the time to read poker instruction, be sure that your efforts are fruitful. Passively learning usually only nets a 10%-20% increase of your newly acquired knowledge. A focused, active learning effort can assure you a much greater return on your investment of time and mental effort. In essence, learn HOW TO learn to increase your likelihood of long-term improvement and success. Work hard and work smart, and you game will be better than ever.
Now go make it happen.
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