To most of us, learning something “the hard way” sounds like a waste of time an inefficient process filled with struggle and frustration. Traditional thinking suggests that effective teaching should cater to individual learning styles and focus on making learning as easy and seamless as possible. But Make It Stick challenges these assumptions head-on.

Based on cutting-edge findings from cognitive psychology and neuroscience, Make It Stick reveals that strategies often perceived as difficult or counterintuitive are actually the most effective for long-term learning. Instead of relying on passive techniques like rereading or highlighting, the book promotes active learning methods—like retrieval practice, spacing, and interleaving that create stronger, more durable understanding.

At the heart of Make It Stick is a powerful insight: memory is not just a storage system, but the very foundation of flexible thinking and problem-solving. When we are forced to retrieve knowledge through effortful recall, we reinforce neural pathways that improve retention and deepen comprehension. In this way, confronting difficulties and embracing mistakes becomes a critical part of effective learning.

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