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In this chapter, the author introduces the concept of ultralearning and shares the story of Tristan de Montebello, a musician and entrepreneur who becomes an ultralearner. The author had met de Montebello seven years prior and had kept in touch over the years. When the author mentioned that he was writing a book about learning, de Montebello expressed interest in becoming a guinea pig and testing out ultralearning.

De Montebello, initially unsure of which skill to learn, eventually settled on public speaking. He had some experience being on stage as a musician but lacked experience in giving speeches. He believed that public speaking was a useful metaskill that could benefit other aspects of his life and career. With the help of a coach, de Montebello embarked on an intense learning journey to become a proficient public speaker.

De Montebello’s ultralearning project involved attending Toastmasters International meetings, where he met a seasoned Toastmaster who agreed to coach him. He also participated in the World Championship of Public Speaking, a competition organized by Toastmasters. De Montebello practiced relentlessly, recorded his speeches, sought feedback, and pushed himself outside of his comfort zone. He took improv classes, sought advice from industry professionals, and even spoke at a middle school to receive honest feedback. In just seven months, de Montebello went from a novice public speaker to a competitor in the World Championships.

The author emphasizes that de Montebello’s story is not only about his rapid progress, but also about his work ethic and determination. De Montebello’s journey had a profound impact on his life, as he realized the depth of skills he had developed, such as storytelling, confidence, and communication. After his success in the competition, de Montebello and his coach started a consultancy called UltraSpeaking, where they helped others improve their public speaking skills.

The author then introduces the nine universal principles of ultralearning:

  1. Metalearning: Learn how to learn the subject or skill you want to tackle.
  2. Focus: Cultivate the ability to concentrate and dedicate chunks of time to learning.
  3. Directness: Learn by doing the thing you want to become good at.
  4. Drill: Be ruthless in improving your weakest points and break down complex skills into smaller parts.
  5. Retrieval: Testing isn’t just for assessment, but an effective way of learning.
  6. Feedback: Embrace feedback and use it to improve without letting your ego get in the way.
  7. Retention: Understand what you forget and develop strategies to remember information long-term.
  8. Intuition:

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