How to Retain What You Learn: Why Slowing Down Finally Worked for Me

I’ve always envied people who can recall facts and ideas effortlessly. How much of what you read do you actually remember?

For me, it’s frustratingly little. 

When I’m reading, I’m completely immersed—comprehending every word, feeling inspired, and even having those mind-expanding “aha” moments. But as soon as I put the book down? I don’t remember shit. It’s like all of that insight just vanishes.

Then I think of someone like Jordan Peterson—a walking wealth of knowledge. The guy spits out numbers, facts, and evidence-based theories, and connects ideas effortlessly.

He could beat anyone to a pulp in a debate with the sheer volume of files stored in his brain.

The same goes for Candace Owens, who seems to have an endless supply of knowledge at her fingertips. She debates assertively, rattling off facts as if her brain were a library.

They’re so sharp it’s almost insulting—how have I not figured out how they do it?

So, I started to wonder: How do they retain what they learn? Are they reading more books than the rest of us? Or is it less about the number of books and more about how they’re learning?

Experimenting With New Learning Habits

Recently, I’ve started experimenting with ways to get what I learn to actually stick. It started with reading and learning habits.

I began by blocking out specific times and committing to the same days each week for these activities.

It’s brought me a lot of happiness committing to my learning, but I’ve noticed something: I don’t catch things on the first try—sometimes not even the second.

For a long time, I treated reading and learning like a race. I was rushing through books and tasks as if speed was the goal.

To be honest, I wasn’t giving myself a real chance to retain anything—I wasn’t learning; I was just checking boxes.

I decided to slow down. Like, really slow down.

When I started studying Greek, this truth became painfully clear. At first, I’d skim through dialogues and vocabulary, mumble my way through pronunciations, and move on without fully grasping the material. 

Unsurprisingly, none of it stuck. 

I used to beat myself up for not getting things right away. This was a habit from when I was younger—I thought I had to nail everything on the first try, and if I didn’t, it meant I sucked.

I also used to think “practice” just meant doing something a couple of times. But that’s not enough volume to make anything stick.

Repetition Is Everything

When I study Greek now, I focus on mastering one lesson at a time.

I set aside three sessions a week. I’m willing to spend two hours on the same material, revisiting it repeatedly until it feels natural.

I listen to the dialogue, read it out loud, and repeat it—over and over—as many times as it takes until I can say the words without stumbling.

Even though I tested at an upper-intermediate level in Greek, I knew there were gaps in my knowledge—especially in grammar. And I hate gaps. Gaps are like cracks in a foundation—you can’t build anything solid on top of them.

I came across a quote Eben Pagan said in his Virtual Coach course that resonated with me:

“You can’t skip levels. Like in a video game, you need to scour every corner of a level before moving on to the next one. Leave nothing behind because you’re going to need that knowledge to progress.”

That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. If it takes me an hour to read two pages of a middle school history book in Greek, so what? I’ll read those two pages again before moving on.

It’s not about speed—it’s about actually understanding and retaining what I’m reading.

It’s not glamorous, and it’s definitely not fast, but this deliberate approach works.

Applying This to My Reading

This approach has changed the way I read books too. Instead of speeding through developmental books just to add them to a “read” list, I’ve started slowing down.

I read the same chapter twice. I’ve also started reading out loud, which forces me to engage more with the material.

In the third round of reading it, I pair the book with the unabridged audiobook so I can listen while reading along.

I know the average CEO reads 52 books a year, but I’m not interested in racing to hit a number. 

This year, I’m focusing on 10 developmental books. My goal isn’t to finish as many as possible—it’s to actually absorb them.

If I can retain 30%, 40%, or even 70% of what I learn, that’s a far better use of my time than breezing through dozens of books and remembering next to nothing.

My Biggest Takeaway

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: repetition is the secret to retention.

Whether I’m studying Greek or reading a developmental book, the same principle applies: slowing down, repeating, and building on what I’ve learned over time.

It’s not about racing to the finish line or ticking off boxes. It’s about putting in the work, revisiting, and letting the knowledge settle in.

For the first time, it feels like what I’m learning isn’t slipping away—it’s actually becoming part of me.