You visit LinkedIn and spot a job opening that piques your interest. And lo and behold—it’s the dream job you’ve always wanted.
But then reality hits. You scroll through the requirements and see a list of skills you haven’t quite mastered. Suddenly, the self-doubt kicks in. You find yourself wondering, “Am I even qualified?”
Indeed, staying relevant can feel more challenging than ever, especially when industries are evolving at breakneck speed. But there’s a secret to all this… and that’s to be a quick learner.
“Skills are more important than experience,” says Anjali Richard, Senior Manager of Global Talent Strategy at Mindvalley. “If you have the right skills and can learn them quickly, you can transfer them to any industry.”
And with the proper steps, you can level up like you’ve never done before.
What does it mean to be a quick learner?
When it comes to being a fast learner—another word for “quick learner”—is less about memorizing facts and more about actively engaging with new information.
“Learning is not a spectator sport,” says world-renowned brain coach Jim Kwik in his Superbrain program on Mindvalley. “You can’t sit on the bench and expect to master new skills—you have to get involved, ask questions, and stay engaged.”
According to him, those who have speed learning down pat stand out for their ability to:
- Grasp new concepts quickly, whether it’s mastering a new tool, picking up leadership strategies, or understanding market trends.
- Adapt in a changing world. As Jim points out, “Staying curious and flexible is foundational for long-term success.”
- Apply knowledge on the go. They can use what they’ve learned—whether in meetings, special projects, or personal growth—where and when it counts.
- Keep improving by actively seeking new insights. (You’d know them as the ones who’d tell you about the latest podcasts, microlearning apps, or books they’re into.)
Today, these skills are more critical than ever. With artificial intelligence reshaping industries and automating tasks at an unprecedented rate, millions of workers will have to be ready to upskill and pivot so they can stay competitive in the workforce.
The goal is not to memorize more but to learn how to learn faster and smarter.
— Jim Kwik, trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain program
So, instead of waiting for your CEO, manager, or coworkers to show where you can improve, it’s far better to show initiative by self-assessing where you need to grow—and take action.
“What’s even more impressive [to companies today] are self-taught skills,” Anjali says. And being proactive? It’s the ultimate kicker because it indicates your hunger for progress.
How to be a quick learner: 5 tips from Jim Kwik
You don’t have to be born with a photographic memory or a naturally sharp mind to be a quick learner. You just need to know how to train your brain to absorb and apply knowledge more efficiently.
Jim learned this firsthand. After a childhood brain injury left him struggling with learning, he went on from being “the boy with the broken brain” to a world-renowned brain coach—all thanks to the power of self-teaching. The result? He’s helped millions unlock their full potential since.
Now, back to you. Whether you’re preparing for a promotion, diving into the world of AI tools, or learning a new language, these five techniques by Jim can help you become a faster learner.
1. Learn F.A.S.T.
The F.A.S.T. method—which has helped Jim’s clients, from Fortune 500 CEOs to Hollywood A-listers—lays the foundation for accelerated learning.
Here’s a breakdown of what it’s about:
- “F” is for “forget.” Clear your mind of assumptions and distractions. “If your cup is full, you can’t pour in new knowledge,” Jim explains. Approach learning with a beginner’s mindset.
- “A” is for “active.” You see, passive learning doesn’t cut it. Ask questions, take notes by hand, and stay engaged.
- “S” is for “state.” The state of your emotions while learning makes or breaks your entire experience. A positive, curious mindset helps with information retention.
- “T” is for “teach.” “When you teach, you learn it twice,” Jim emphasizes, adding that repeating the information you’ve absorbed to your colleague helps you remember it.
Let’s say you’re at a leadership seminar. Applying the FAST method here means putting your preconceived notions aside, actively interacting with the seminar’s materials and stakeholders, staying emotionally centered throughout the experience, and explaining the material to your colleagues post-event.
By taking these steps, you’ll stand to retain and even remodel what you’ve learned effectively.
2. Use the M.O.M. technique
This technique (which stands for “motivation,” “observation,” and “mechanics”) is designed to help you retain information better by tapping into how the brain naturally learns best.
Here’s how it works:
- Motivation. When you have a compelling reason—whether it’s career growth or personal development—your brain engages more deeply.
- Observation. Being fully present—“the art of memory,” as Jim calls it—influences the quality of your attention and makes all the difference to your learning experience.
- Mechanics. Brain-friendly tools like visualization (mentally linking information with vivid images) and chunking (breaking down large amounts of information into smaller, easier-to-process pieces) help simplify complex information.
3. Revisit what you’ve learned—at the right time
Going over something once and hoping it sticks? That rarely works.
Real learning happens when you circle back to the material at the right moments, a technique Jim calls “spaced repetition.” Revisit what you’ve learned at regular intervals, he says, can “move it from short-term to long-term memory.”
As it turns out, spaced repetition enhances memory retention by combating the brain’s natural tendency to forget information over time. By reviewing material at strategically spaced time slots, you reinforce neural connections, making it easier to recall information when needed.
Think of it like rewatching your favorite show. The more times you go back to it, the more details you notice—until you can quote entire scenes without thinking.
The same applies when you’re picking up a new skill, like speaking a new language. Instead of cramming vocabulary in one sitting, you revisit key phrases every few days. Doing this helps the new words stick, making it easier to recall them when you need them in real-life situations.
4. Regulate your emotions
Believe it or not, your mood affects how well you absorb new information.
“All learning is state-dependent. If you’re bored, your brain won’t retain the information,” Jim explains. And the same happens when you’re stressed or distracted.
Now imagine you’re preparing for an exam. If you study under pressure, it’s likely more challenging to remember the information you’re absorbing.
But try relaxing before studying. You tap into alpha brain waves—the calm, focused state your brain enters when it’s primed for learning. Plus, research from the University of Cambridge shows that this relaxed yet alert state helps your brain absorb and retain information more effectively.
To get your brain to this positive state of mind, you can:
- Play some calming music. Gentle, low-frequency music has been linked to relaxation because it mirrors the natural resonance of the body, helping reduce stress and quiet mental chatter.
- Breathe into your “genius.” Mindful breathing techniques—like the timeless 4-7-8 method or the SOMA Breath® technique—can signal your brain to relax.
- Keep a tidy workspace. Clutter can overwhelm the brain with visual distractions, reducing focus and cognitive efficiency, so keep a tidy workspace.
5. Take breaks for sustainable focus
Ever tried powering through a work project for hours only to feel like you’re running on empty? That’s because your brain, much like your body, needs recovery time to process what it’s just taken in.
As Jim emphasizes in Superbrain, recovery time is just as important as the right learning strategy. “Breaks give your mind space to process what you’ve just learned,” he says.
Doing so can actually increase brain power, allowing your mind to properly consolidate what you’ve learned and organize ideas more systematically.
How to say “quick learner” on your resume
So, you’ve upskilled, learned fast, and feel ready to apply for that dream role—but that’s only half the battle. Now, it’s all about how you communicate your skills during two critical stages: the application and the interview itself.
“Phrases like ‘quick learner’ or ‘fast adapter’ are often overused and tend to be vague,” says Anjali. Instead of leaning on buzzwords, she suggests proving your adaptability through clear examples in both your resume and how you present yourself in conversations with hiring managers.
In other words? It’s about saying you’re a quick learner without actually saying you’re a quick learner.
When you see phrases like ‘self-taught Python in three months’ or ‘self-taught digital marketer in six months’ on a CV, that shows the person can quickly learn new skills.
— Anjali Richard, Senior Manager of Global Talent Strategy at Mindvalley
And to do this, here are things you should—and shouldn’t do—at a glance:
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| Show results via specific timelines of skill mastery. | Avoid using vague phrases like “quick learner” and “fast adapter” without examples. |
| Display self-driven learning efforts upfront. | Rely on buzzwords without proof. |
| Highlight career pivots and industry changes. | Skip the context behind career transitions. |
| Demonstrate how AI tools have improved your work results in the past—and how you’re open to enhancing your mastery of them. | Tell the recruiter you’re “familiar with AI” without explaining how you apply AI tools in real life. |
Now, let’s break down each of the do’s further with examples:
1. Show results
Numbers make a claim feel real and concrete. Instead of saying you’re a quick learner, show how fast you’ve mastered a skill with specific timelines.
“When you see phrases like ‘self-taught Python in three months’ or ‘self-taught digital marketer in six months’ on a CV, that shows the person can quickly learn new skills,” Anjali shares.
And in doing away with the vague labels, here are no-nonsense phrases you can use to highlight your achievements:
- “Completed X skill certification in [timeframe].”
- “Self-taught [skill] and applied it in [project or outcome].”
- “Mastered [tool or skill] within [timeframe] and achieved [measurable outcome].”
2. Spotlight self-driven learning
Companies love go-getters. Education, Anjali says, is essential, but self-taught skills or proactive upskilling—like completing a LinkedIn Learning or Mindvalley course—is what makes you stand out even more.
What really makes an impact, though, is connecting your learning to actual impact at work. How did that LinkedIn course on project management help you streamline work timelines? What’s the link between your certification in data analysis and more efficient reporting at work?
Establishing the link between what you’ve learned and what you’ve accomplished is how you ultimately show your career goals—that you’ve always been a quick learner.
Here are a couple of examples of how it can look like:
- “Earned a leadership certificate on LinkedIn Learning and used the principles to mentor new hires, improving team efficiency by 20%.”
- “Self-taught Adobe Premiere Pro and produced marketing videos that boosted social engagement by 35%.”
3. Bank on your adaptability
Maybe you’ve switched industries or leveled up in a role without experience. Make those pivots clear when updating your resume.
“If someone’s background is in mechanical engineering and they’ve transitioned into digital marketing, that’s a significant change that showcases their adaptability,” Anjali points out.
So, how exactly can you make career shifts like that stand out on your resume? Let’s break it down using the engineering-to-marketing example:
- Frame the transition clearly. Mention both your previous industry and the new one up front: “I pivoted from mechanical engineering to digital marketing by mastering campaign management tools within six months.”
- Emphasize skill transfer. Show how skills from your past role contributed to success in your new one. For example: “I applied data analysis expertise from my engineering background to optimize paid ads, improving conversion rates by 30%.”
- Quantify results. If you led a rebranding project after your career shift and boosted website traffic, spell it out: “Increased website traffic by 40% within three months of leading a rebranding campaign.” Let the numbers speak for themselves.
- Showcase ongoing learning. Mention courses, mentorships, or self-directed learning that supported your career shift. Ask your former mentors and previous employers to publish their recommendations on LinkedIn.
4. Be enthusiastic about AI mastery
“AI is the ultimate advantage at work,” says Vishen, the founder and CEO of Mindvalley. If you’re not embracing AI, you will die by AI because your competitors are going to make your company obsolete.”
The reality is, AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore; it’s evolving more rapidly than we can even fathom and changing the way we work everywhere. And mastering it is your golden ticket to your adaptability in today’s job market.
“Candidates who can demonstrate knowledge and experience with AI tools and applications will be highly valued,” says Anjali. And it’s not just about knowing the tools; it’s also about “how you’ve applied them to improve work outcomes.”
So, back to your resume. Instead of simply saying you’re “familiar with ChatGPT” on your resume, show how you’ve applied it to create a real impact in your resume.
Are you a content specialist who’s used Jasper to automate content creation? Explain how you’ve cut copy turnaround time by 50% while keeping your company’s brand voice consistent.
What if you’re a project manager who’s leveraged AI-powered data entry tools at your previous company? Well, you can sum up how you’ve reduced manual work by 10+ hours weekly and increased reporting accuracy.
The point is if you’ve done it, show that you’ve done it.
When you prove you’re already using these tools to solve problems and drive results, your skills will speak volumes even before you have to in the coming interview.
Awaken your unstoppable
Remember, anyone and everyone can be a quick learner—because speed learning isn’t a privilege you’re born with but a skill to master. And how you unleash your inner genius depends on having the right learning strategy at hand.
As Jim says in his Superbrain program, “The goal is not to memorize more but to learn how to learn faster and smarter.”
If you’re serious about leveling up your learning speed and memory retention, sign up for Jim’s Becoming a Super Learner webinar at Mindvalley. This free 87-minute session is where you can learn many out-of-the-box principles, including:
- Brain hacks to boost memory retention. That’s right; no more forgetting names, presentations, or key facts.
- Practical strategies to absorb new skills faster—perfect for career advancement or personal mastery.
- The science behind how your brain learns best, so you can work with your mind, not against it.
Take it from Mindvalley member Daniel Ford, a Minneapolis-based author, who felt “stuck in an endless loop of self-development” without making real progress. After applying Jim’s techniques, he learned to unlock new ways of thinking that eventually moved him to launch a platform for expanding cognitive potential with AI.
Daniel’s story shows what’s possible, but such transformation isn’t just for him. It’s for you, too…when you take a chance on Mindvalley.
Welcome in.
