How to Force Your Brain to Study (when you don't feel like it)

Overcome study procrastination with the LADDER METHOD.
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=== Timestamps ===
00:00 Intro
00:35 Analogy of how the brain learns
03:01 Why do you get overwhelmed when you learn
03:43 3 Ways your brain uses energy
04:19 The Ladder Method
04:49 Rung 1
06:55 Rung 2
08:54 The secret
=== About Dr Justin Sung ===
Dr. Justin Sung is a world-renowned expert in self-regulated learning, certified teacher, research author, and former medical doctor. He has guest lectured on learning skills at Monash University for Master’s and PhD students in Education and Medicine. Over the past decade, he has empowered tens of thousands of learners worldwide to dramatically improve their academic performance, learning efficiency, and motivation.
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[@JustinSung]

Join my Learning Drops weekly newsletter here: bit.ly/4bXOY6F Every week, I distil what really works for improving results, memory, depth of understanding, and knowledge application from over a decade of coaching into bite-sized emails.

[@NK-The_One]

I actually did something similar to the ladder method when used to have severe depression to get myself to do anything. When you can't be bothered to do anything, find the smallest possible thing to do is super helpful. Sometimes, sitting up was a fight, but I would manage to do it. Moving my legs. Standing up. Walking to the shoe rack. Putting on my shoes. Standing up again. Walking out the door. Taking one step after another. Going outside would've been impossible without. Stacking activity after activity like this was magical because without it, nothing would have been possible.

[@TimpanistMoth_AyKayEll]

"Move 3 items" is a good one for tidying/housework. Just any 3 physical objects, of any size, moved to any other location. (For some reason 3 works better for me than one. Maybe because one feels like it has to be the *right one*.)

[@jojodaisy4]

Very encouraging ty

[@Jemawin]

I’ve had periods where I’ve gotten through by doing the same.

[@PatrickRobinsonZA]

“Do the next right thing!” Just one thing. I can do one thing. … gonna go make my bed!

[@Nithink_Tank]

Hope you are felling better ❤ God bless.

[@markor2476]

He talks about the so called ladder method: make multiple runs through the subject matter, and on each run focus only on the easy and the low effort stuff for you to understand, repeat until you cover everything.

[@efrahaimrn]

this makes sense. the brain need time and sleep to make the needed connections for learning and retention.

[@sandstorm6605]

People don’t even have the attention span anymore to watch a 10 minute self help video? Society is doomed.

[@joywinbarboza983]

​@@sandstorm6605depends on how u look at it, This video may have been some bs video, or they drag out for views, this helps. There is no telling how many times these comments save you from bs

[@ianthompson44]

@@sandstorm6605 Someone should make a video about how to develop the attention span to watch a 10 minute video. Should be no more than 2 minutes long.

[@amanibera7018]

@@ianthompson44 Thats way to demanding, make it 30 seconds for the tiktok brains 😆

[@ShashankKatiyar0]

It is like solving a puzzle. You solve the easiest part first, and as you keep solving, harder parts get easier to solve, and in the end, the most difficult pieces of the puzzle just fall into their places.

[@Andreluiz-dp2ho]

Damn, good analogy!

[@ferdsreyes2444]

Huge game changer for someone who has ADHD or gets overwhelm easily with a complicated subject, Thank you.

[@abhishektanwar8576]

Seriously I agree.

[@grrrrr219]

I concur!

[@ReflectionOcean]

By YouSum Live 00:00:00 Ladder method for efficient studying. 00:01:00 Understanding brain's energy consumption in learning. 00:03:00 Overcoming overwhelm by breaking tasks into low-effort steps. 00:06:00 Progressively deepening understanding through ladder rungs. 00:08:52 Consistent effort distribution enhances learning efficiency. 00:09:29 Applying ladder method to projects for systematic progress. 00:10:02 Ladder method as a game-changer in studying habits. By YouSum Live

[@johnair1]

Think of it as moving into a new place. You do not start with the small items and details like Decoration.... you start with the big Items and then you slowly work yourself up until you place the fresh flowers on the table once everything is more or less moved.

[@hayleybrooks04]

Wow. That's an incredible way to look at it.

[@YogaBlissDance]

Great analogy as I din't get his explanation really.

[@ivorybow]

I have a couple of degrees acquired some years ago. This was before computers were used in the classroom. I am a big believer in the power of handwriting to put things into long-term memory. A technique I used??was I took notes and then after classes, I would rewrite my notes and say them aloud as I wrote them. then the night before an exam, I would rewrite them and say them aloud again. I remember everything I studied in some detail in varying degrees, after all these years. I graduated Magna Cum Laude so I can attest to this technique's effectiveness. Yes, it requires some effort, but it works beautifully and flawlessly. I teach people how to do this and encourage others to use this technique. I plan to go back to get another masters degree next year. At 76 my brain is not as aggressive as it used to be so I will definitely be adding this technique and mastering it. Thank you.

[@BG-jr7fz]

I am a part of your course, but wow this video has given me hope and made me excited to learn despite feeling super burned out from the rest of life. Thank you.

[@am_i_shashank]

Your analogy game is so good, it made it so simple to understand how one should approach learning, it's sad to see that your videos get so less views, you are a gem.

[@bjornborg5671]

Justin, topic idea for new video: Mindmap Formatting & Labels: - Color: functional, descriptive, other... - Headings: underlining, circling, boxing, text-only... - Connections: arrows, double arrows, lines, dotted, brackets... - Emphasis: size, length, bolding...

[@ishrakmujibift4269]

I guess whatever feels good to you, i don't think these things will help that much with deep processing, but he did say you can make the arrows bolder.

[@najiyathasneem6144]

Thank you so much Justin for helping us. I have been following you more than a year for now. I changed my study methods as per your advice. Now my study sessions are much easier. Thank you so much. Much love from India❤

[@Amda33]

Damn, I’m so inspired after watching this. Grateful that this appeared on my fyp. It’s really what I’m experiencing, the overwhelm when I’m learning

[@grrrrr219]

omg thank you so much!!! I'm a 3rd year nursing student and an upcoming 4th year nursing student this fall and I'm really looking for a way to understand my textbook better! Your video makes so much sense now! I will definitely try this to ace that exam! Thank you so much!

[@lucyab25]

Thank you! Every new video I watch of yours, I feel a little more at peace with myself! I have severe adhd (highly combined inattentive and hyperactive type). I often feel like I get quite behind at the beginning of studying because I can't seem to study how others do, or how it is traditionally expected of us. I spend a lot of time doing what I call ‘productivity procrastinating’. Basically trying to figure out how to make everything easier for myself. So I naturally spend a lot of time doing what you mention in other videos (scoping, linking concepts etc) and gathering all my resources. I really struggle with the way universities teach, just going through content step by step because I have no clue what they're talking about. When I step away, map it all out and skip to future content or other modules, I see the same content mentioned and understand how it all fits together. I don't realise at the time that I'm actually learning. When I come back to what I struggled with originally, I seem to understand it without having that mental effort of trying too hard to learn it. I do usually get good grades, but I feel like an imposter and that it isn't deserved (I just know how to pass exams). I wanted to join your program a while ago but held off as it mentions on your website that it hasn’t been designed for neurodivergent people, but the more I watch your videos, the more I realise that actually a lot of these skills and methods are quite natural to neurodivergent people. I’ve signed up and will be joining the next cohort! Hopefully I can learn to continue studying with a little less stress, as my brain was never designed for linear studying!

[@lucyab25]

About 12 year ago when I was studying my A-levels, I used to skip biology class because the teacher made absolutely zero sense to me (I was also undiagnosed adhd at the time, so I most likely switched off). I felt like she wasted my time. Instead, I used to go to the library with about 5 different resources (books, course handouts). I never understood it from one source only, so I used to do exactly this, bit with multiple sources. Eventually, I would understand the content that I initially didn't understand from one source. I got in trouble often and pulled in to speak to the teachers because I missed the lessons. They didn't seem to trust that I was actually studying and why I didn't go to the lesson. I ended up getting a better grade than most others in that class and went on to getting a first class honours degree. I'm now studying a post grad in a completely different field, and again the lecturers method of teaching and the course content makes zero sense to me, but the pace is much faster. Your videos are helping a lot!

[@RameshKumar-ng3nf]

AWESOMEEEEEE Justin Bro as always ❤👌🙏 So nice demonstration 👌

[@watcheronly71]

Thank you man exam is near and overwhelmed this technqiue surprisingly works for me

[@user-bw2ld5rl2c]

Thank you so much! Coach, I will definitely try this method in my study.

[@sabrinasteinbinder9684]

Can’t wait. My cohort by ICS starts in a few days. Love all of your videos. I study psychology and hope I can implement it now ❤

[@abcdefgh97054]

Ladder Method : based on categorizing effort . Each rung represents rungs of effort . Key point : Look for the thingd that feel easier and feel low effort. Rung 1: Brain energy is used to understand and break down information. a: Skim textbooks/material to locate low effort information. b: Use note taking techniques such as highlighting , outlining ,graphic organizer etc., to select imp yet low effort information. c: Make sure to find any connection with the high lighted material. 2nd Rung: Brain Energy is used in organizing information. Repeat the first steps to organize information. Since the information is getting little bit more detailed at this part of reading. The same steps may take a little longer to complete. 3rd Rung: Go through more of the details Repeat step 1 and step 2 Why it works: Each rung takes the same effort as the last rung. You are splitting all the work for thus topic into each rung.

[@sandnyc]

TY. Book publishers organize books, generally, without natural order. So, your method helps us customize, order, and simplify.

[@adegbajudavid4964]

Thank you as always Justin. You keep helping without fluff and what everyone says on youtube

[@JustinSung]

Focusing really hard and investing a lot into making these videos super valuable, so really appreciate your comment!

[@NK-The_One]

It's interesting to see other study KZbinrs stepping up their game when Justin introduced so much better stuff and now, people are moving away from recommending to just lower-order Anki your way through uni.

[@syafiqramli658]

Wow. Thanks for the clarity. I have been using somewhat similar method unintentionally with great results. But because i discover the approach by chance, i dont use it systematically and thus wondering why at times learning is easy. Sometime its hard. Now i know for a fact what is the optimal method, i will make it a default method for all my learning

[@memeranque]

Thank you for the knowledge! Can't wait to apply it into my system xp

[@destmichael]

Thank you for offering this free content for us. I am an OWL (older wiser learner) going back for my degree in nursing and need your help.

[@tapaschanana7316]

THIS IS GENIUS!! IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!! THANK YOU!!

[@user-mt1uv5re3h]

Thank you, Dr Justin I have used this method to disaggregate information. So the brain scheme does not get tired quickly. Appreciate

[@Umarepistemix]

Doc justin Sung. Thanks alot for making an impact in my life. Lots of love here from Nigeria, west Africa

[@sceneryj]

This is great as a practical application/technique of what I tell people when they say something is difficult - stop thinking of things as easy or difficult. Instead, accept that some things simply have more steps. Or in this case, rungs on the ladder.

[@jojodaisy4]

This is so BRILLIANT and helps so much THANK YOU 🎈

[@wealthlifejourney]

loved your breakdown of the ladder method technique!

[@arjunadhikari9404]

Original, innovative and extremely useful ideas! Thank you so much!

[@CTSpeed413]

Wow! I like this take. It’s VERY similar to what I used to do. I’d start with the questions at the end of the chapter, and look for the answers to them. Then I’d go back and see if there was anything that I missed. Honestly, I didn’t always go back. My wife hated how I’d space out in class and still ace the tests. I REALLY like the rung method. (Concept) Thank you!!! Thank you!! Subscribed!!!

[@tumishomagagula2.035]

Justin Sung bro, not alot of ppl understand your content but if they understand it they will realize how much of a genius you are. Thanks for the value you provide man, always appreciate it.

[@phillhart2990]

I found this very useful - thanks so much for sharing. I will be using this.

[@mervynstudio]

The marble and Cup analogy was soo good, i felt it and Subscribed

[@user-sw8de6rg6x]

Wow man! That's a really cool technique. Thanks🎉

[@jiae6374]

Thank you for this! Will try it with the many textbooks I have to catch up on.

[@SaukaKumagae]

Great video! I'll definitely be trying this!

[@HiraethLoves-jj3ww]

Thanks Justin. It is really helpful ✨

[@sanikura837]

I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.

[@Chustinasarah]

I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I’d suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.

[@sanikura837]

@@Chustinasarah That's actually quite impressive, I could use some Info on your FA, I am looking to make a change on my finances this year as well

[@Chustinasarah]

@@sanikura837 My advisor is Victoria Carmen Santaella;

[@Chustinasarah]

You can look her up online

[@Chustinasarah]

Nah I Can't say I can relate, Victoria Carmen Santaella charge is one-off and pretty reasonable when compared to what I benefit in returns.

[@AndyCline-vp6wj]

You are the best trader I must say. I gained knowledge so much from your channel. Benefited so much. I will follow your videos, keep up the good work.

[@JustinSung]

I appreciate that!

[@scottbeavan6896]

I'm a mature student studying psychology. That was the best explanation of schemas, and how the work, that I have come across. Weeks of studying explained in two minutes, brilliant.

[@am_i_shashank]

watching your videos puts me in the mood to study, thank you ❣❣

[@-Z-th2rq]

This came out just in time for my finals haha. Really helpful! Im bad at studying in general so i hope this is helpful. Seems like it could also help with just regular tasks aswell.

[@KritiKumari-jo8wn]

Thank you so much! This method is funtastic.

[@shubhisingh8937]

I was facing the same issue...Thanks for this informative content.

[@dr.anupamdeka3317]

Very useful video ....This also aligns with the idea that flow and productivity improves by reducing friction. When each rung of the ladder is of easy tasks, one is more likely to climb the entire ladder.

[@floweyy07]

👏 your videos just keep getting better

[@hayleybrooks04]

Thank you. I'm a med student who needed this. I took the Sats and i used to love studying, but first year of college has been so bad. It's not that I'm failing all my classes, but it's just that I'm passing every class and not excited to learn. Hopefully this method will help.

[@Yeeeeeehaw]

Great video! Thank you Dr sung !

[@user-qq8ob3pg4b]

Neat!🎉 My exams starts from tomorrow.

[@asur7]

Same.

[@biophile10]

Same here as well

[@StudyingMachine-yg4th]

Loved it. I´ll give this method a try!

[@sanchitakumarr]

PERFECT TIMING!

[@scottguitar8168]

An interesting method. I understand when I don't feel like doing something whether it be mental, physical or both, it is because I am overwhelmed by the whole picture of what has to occur to get to the finish line. My simple solution is don't look at the whole thing, just consider the next step, which is much smaller and usually quite easy to take. When I focus on the step, I am usually amazed at how much progress I made, especially considering I did not feel like starting.

[@IILMNBD]

One can't build deeper understanding of anything with this method. Read what you love... love for a subject precedes understanding.

[@zbryce1106]

Justin, you've never let me down. I love you.

[@GoodVibes0nly.]

Wow, after watching this video, I have subscribed! This makes so much sense to do. I need to learn how to study that works for me with this mind I have. I love how you had your book on one side while taking digital notes on the other. You took something complex and made it more simple. But my question would be, what software are you using to take your notes? What's the name of the tablet you are using? Thank you for this eye-opening technique!

[@drabbenrabben6925]

MahsaAllah! I am glad you're sharing this to the rest of us my dear brother! We will only benefit to how much we want, so you're job is done here. Great Job! Thank you.

[@georgechristou7982]

Allah has nothing to do with it

[@Lavendercandle]

​@@georgechristou7982and makes you think you do?

[@georgeverghese2343]

Great stuff .Thankyou.

[@amirmorsh]

Thanks man really cool method!

[@barnabaslin3733]

Hey Justin this video is really inspiring and makes studying simple, whilst maximising learning and time! How would you suggest to a premed learning anatomy this way?

[@richelleyip2285]

Hi Justin! Thank you for this wonderful tip! Is there any way you can show it from doing an actual textbook chapter? It would be even more helpful when I can use an example. Thank you!

[@modiddymo]

Thanks for this, it was helpful 😊

[@TahddiZina]

Always enjoy your video and learn at same time

[@varishaimran3992]

The fact that my mind was doing this unconsciously so that my studies seemed easier to me Was just wow, I was literally doing this right now while studying physics which is hard for me but the minute i first read it and then try to understand it and compare it to normal life examples my brain takes up the information So thanku for making it understanding and thanks for a great advice it works

[@azarel7]

This is part of why using your time wisely in general is so important...it takes time to really learn new skills and do things well and it often takes longer than you anticipate it will.

[@user-dy4he5my4c]

The method you described probably refers to where in your catalog you will place the information youm studied. In my case, I'll start up a new binder and methodically place the studied information into it. Creating duplicate pages for the multiple places it may fit into. This is in contrast to keeping a journal, not having the freedom or choice to dictate where the section of notes will remain. Thanks for sharing your ladder method, studying has always been difficult.

[@bigmanny]

This was awesome. Thank you! I didn't realise I approach creative writing in exactly the same way. Initially the thought of writing a story or putting together the documentation for the story is too difficult to want to start. However, I approach it similarly. I start with the simplest things first. Maybe Character Bios, or if I had a thought about how I want the world to work or be structured I jot that down. I don't care for details I just put whatever I am thinking to paper. After that, I tend to be able to fill in the details much more easier and then it becomes fun. This method you are sharing helps with the hardest part and that is starting. Once you get into the grove it becomes fun and easier because, as you said, you understand things a lot better and your brain is using less effort. The final part would be research to fact check things when writing stories if you want to base some things on actual facts. Rather than doing that at the start do the easy thing first and then the "hard thing" last because at that point it isnt as hard and you know what you need to look for and what you need to add. Thank you for sharing!

[@robertm4795]

Thanks, will try it

[@Jennifer-bw7ku]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[@IkamiLog]

Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!

[@APOLLINAIREBARTHOLOMIEU]

Yes, dr.sporessss I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.

[@morseemily]

I wish they were readily available in my place. Microdosing was my next plan of care for my husband. He is 59 & has so many mental health issues plus probable CTE & a TBI that left him in a coma 8 days. It's too late now I had to get a TPO as he's 6'6 300+ pound homicidal maniac. He's constantly talking about killing someone. He's violent. Anyone reading this Familiar w/ BPD know if it is common for an obsession with violence.

[@IkamiLog]

Is he on instagram?

[@APOLLINAIREBARTHOLOMIEU]

Yes he is. dr.sporessss

[@sonicmaths8285]

Greatly explained vid, ty ♥️

[@sulekhabibi2627]

Hi Justin, Through your taught techniques I did great in my NEET medical entrance, thanks a lot. I want you to make a detailed video on "Second brain" 🧠. May Allah bless you!

[@lifeispossible3955]

A fantastic video to learn knowledge how our brain 🧠 intake and way it function Thankyou sir I will sure use the process make mind focus to read really my mind read intresting than unbored one

[@AdrianLoomis]

that's kinda improvement of mindmapping. thanks. I'll definitely use it.

[@PrasannakumarSudharsan]

Hopeful I will follow this strategy. Midway of this video, I didn’t even want to watch this until the end and felt overwhelmed and my brain just wanted to quit halfway.

[@meltra2812]

Thank you very much.

[@kawaii_princess_castle]

Thank you so much with this techniqueee

[@Wise4HarvestTime]

Thanks. Now I feel like learning something new 🙂

[@bonniedavis9076]

Ok ive decided the simplest thing is to take pictures of each room. Then organize into 1 one to do etc... Then where i might put stuff. etc.. Ill let you know how it goes. Thx

[@badadviceforfree]

Awesome, thank you ❤

[@Ezra-wq4rr]

Very helpful, thank you

[@lang9134]

I wish you could make a video about what would be the most efficient way to memorize images but literally the shapes of an object, like when learning to draw. Or at least how you suspect it would be.

[@nicolek5914]

Hallo Mr. Sung thank you very much. Your videos are always easy to follow, although I'm not a native English speaker. But this time, I got a few questions: 1. Which app do you use for non-linear note-taking? 2. Is this note-taking method the same as mind-mapping? 3. Where is the difference between the "Ladder" and the "Layering" method?

[@_Everything_HER]

You fave me a better idea of how to retain this information. Im a true visual learner. Note cards alone no longer works. Color, charts, grafts are excellent along with compartmentalizing it. Thanks😊

[@Catholicguy-qs3ng]

Thank you Justin , this is by far my favourite video I really wanted to master the priming method but i couldn't use it for math and physics But this video has helped Just a question Can i try to group and reorganize my mind map after the first rung? 😇

[@praveenav_ind]

Interesting approach. 👍

[@leemagaming696]

For exercise i do a reward basis can eat one natural cashew for 20 sit ups honey cashew for 10 pushups one salted cashew for 10 barbells i find it a good system cause i like food n gives me something to work towards

[@YutaBLv]

I think to myself, I can spend 16 hours learning a new game without a lack of motivation and energy, forgetting that I haven't eaten all day and still be energetic enough to push a 24 hour on the game. And when it comes to specific school topics, I die within the hour and ultimately it's interest over random learning.

[@PurplePoppMusic]

thanks so much, super helpful, in college got 4 subject at the moment, 6 days left and 600 pages. Again thanks, super helpful

[@BenvelMusic]

You’re very intelligent man, mate! I dig the idea

[@Anne_Onymous]

I take notes different than everyone else. It's the thing that got me through school with such good grades.

[@nickmills8476]

this dovetails niely with exploration, tinkering, play etc. Definitely applicable as a SWE

[@Sarcob300]

Thank You Justin, you are incredible🎉

[@StraightEdgeNexus]

Just incredible?

[@Sarcob300]

@@StraightEdgeNexus you died😟

[@cestlavie6542]

Thank You 🌸✨️🔱🌺🐚🪷✨️🌸

[@mohamadrezasalehisadaghian6355]

Thank you for your nice video.

[@shashiskusum]

Very well explained 🙏

[@josiahkariuki1799]

I will use this method to finaly master some skills I've been procrastinating on forever

[@LouYorkLife]

Good, valuable video. Thank you very much. Question... Which note-taking app are you using on the tablet/ipad, and would you recommend it to others? Thank you in advance. Have a great, productive day.

[@biggSHNDO]

This channel is valuable.