Quote by Peter C. Brown
““When you space out practice at a task and get a little rusty between sessions, or you interleave the practice of two or more subjects, retrieval is harder and feels less productive, but the effort produces longer lasting learning and enables more versatile application of it in later settings.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, 2014
Spaced and interleaved practice feels harder but creates durable, flexible knowledge.
In simple terms: Hard practice builds lasting learning.
Key Takeaway
Embrace difficulty for deeper retention.
Themes
learning
memory
practice
effort
versatility
Mood
challenging
motivational
reflective
Type
educational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- studying for exams
- learning a new language
- skill acquisition
- training athletes
Key Concepts
retrieval practice
interleaving
spacing effect
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you schedule spaced sessions without losing motivation?
- What tasks benefit most from interleaving?
A Different Perspective
May reduce short‑term performance and feel inefficient.
