Right after I sold my first business. I started applying to MBA programs—and then attended one.
And that business came after managing someone else's small business and working in two other startups.
I worked on political campaigns (at age 15 and 17) before I ever took a political science class.
I moved to countries (Poland, Brazil, Mexico) and then and there started to learn their language. I learned more in the street than in the classroom. Although both together were best.
I started teaching sailing. Then I got teaching sailing certifications.
I manipulated my parents to buy me a home computer for Christmas, back in the Carter administration. And then I enrolled in computer classes to program it.
Why (others should try)
Explaining the value of practice-first learning to theory-oriented people:
- Real Context Creates Better Questions: When you try something first, you develop specific, meaningful questions that make theoretical learning more relevant and memorable
- Emotional Investment: Hands-on experience creates personal stakes in learning, making you more motivated to understand the underlying principles
- Identifying Knowledge Gaps: Practice reveals what you actually need to learn, rather than what you think you need to learn
- Building Confidence: Early practice shows that perfection isn't required to start, reducing analysis paralysis
- Natural Learning Pattern: Consider how children learn - they walk, talk, and interact before understanding the rules behind these activities
- Faster Feedback Loop: Practice provides immediate feedback about what works and what doesn't, making theoretical learning more efficient later
- Memory Enhancement: Theoretical concepts stick better when you can connect them to real experiences
- Avoiding Over-Preparation: Theory-first approach can lead to endless preparation without actual progress
- Reality vs. Theory: Practice reveals the gap between theoretical ideals and practical realities, leading to better understanding of both