Leading Thoughts for April 23, 2026

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with:

Rachel Barr on recall:

“When we switch from books to screens, we’re also changing how we interact with information. Which introduces a new variable time. Online searches deliver results instantly, but this speed can flood our working memory—the brain’s sketchpad for holding and manipulating information in real time. Working memory has its limits, and scribbling too many notes too quickly can mean the ideas get muddled and lost. By contrast, the slower pace of searching through a book naturally aligns with the brain’s capacity to absorb information. The act of searching creates a pause that allows working memory to empty its contents, shuffling some of those items onto the next stage of processing to become short-term memories. The lesson here isn’t thar the internet is a threat to memory; it’s that it operates at a faster pace than we do.”

Source: How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend

Robert Greene on learning by doing:

“The problem with formal education is that it instills in us a passive approach to learning. We read books, take tests, or maybe write essays. Much of the process involves absorbing information. But in the real world, we learn best by doing, by actively trying our hand at the task. The brain is designed to learn through constant repetition and active, hands-on involvement. Through such practice and persistence, any skill can be mastered. Find the deepest pleasure in absorbing knowledge and information. Feel like you never have enough. Be relentless in your pursuit for expansion.”

Source: The Daily Laws

Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index.

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