Learning Quote by Edsger Dijkstra
“Perfecting oneself is as much unlearning as it is learning.”
About This Quote
Source Book: A Discipline of Programming, 1976
Learning requires discarding old habits as much as acquiring new ones; progress is both addition and subtraction.
In simple terms: Unlearning is as important as learning.
Key Takeaway
Identify and drop outdated habits.
Themes
learning
growth
unlearning
efficiency
Mood
reflective
pragmatic
Type
educational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- skill acquisition
- software development
- personal improvement
Key Concepts
cognitive science
habit formation
systems thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What old habit limits your growth?
- How can you make unlearning intentional?
A Different Perspective
Unlearning can be uncomfortable and resisted.
![“Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about [the goto statement]. I have the uncomfortable feeling that others are making a religion out of it, as if the conceptual problems of programming could be solved by a single trick, by a simple form of coding discipline!” quote by Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.jpg)
