Dear Max,

There are two schools of thought when it comes to learning. One is to take as many notes as possible to remember what was said. The other is to listen and absorb the material.

When I was in school early on I used to try to write everything down. It was tough and time-consuming. Not only did I have to go back and re-read much of my notes multiple times, it was hard to retain the information. Then, one day a professor mentioned to me that only what he talks about in class will be on the test. It dawned on me that as long as I pay attention, I can succeed.

After that I barely took notes and only skimmed my text books. Learning by paying attention and asking more questions was much more valuable to me. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take any notes, as its hard to remember specific action items all the time. I’m just saying to put your pencil down, pick your head up, ask questions and rise above the rest.

Love,

Dad