Learn21 — A Strange Kind of Success Story

A good day to you!

I want to tell you about a student who almost didn't make the story.

When I taught AP Physics C at a school in Singapore, I designed the course around the principles of learning. Every topic had three assessments spread across the semester, so students had to engage with the material multiple times. The very first video — about 25 minutes — explained my Model for Learning: How memory works, what makes practice stick, and why the course had a specific structure.

Most students leaned into the coursework; they appreciated the transparency and used the system to perform well in the course.

Then there was this one senior.

The student was enjoying their final year: Hanging out with friends, partying, and coasting through my course. Physics wasn't a priority, so they did the minimum — scraping by with a lower grade than their peers. When the student graduated, I figured that they would not know most of what we covered.

Ten months later, I saw the student during spring break.

"I'm absolutely crushing my introductory physics class," they told me. "The stuff from your class helped so much. I know how to study now because I know how learning works. All the information just came back — to the point where I'm actually tutoring my friends."

The System Took Root

Here's what that story taught me: The system works even when the student doesn't fully show up.

The student in Singapore wasn't disciplined in my class; they didn't grind through every problem set with perfect focus. They were half-committed, at best. And yet — the structure I built into the course was still there, waiting. When they needed the knowledge and skills, the system activated.

This is different from the usual success story. Most testimonials say: "I worked hard and got results." This student’s story says something stranger: "I barely tried, but the system still took root."

That's the power of a real learning system. The system doesn't depend on perfect discipline or endless motivation; the system creates structure that holds, even when your attention wavers. The system makes your effort — whatever amount you can give — actually count.

What This Means for You

You're probably not planning to half-commit to Learn21. If you're reading these emails, you care about growth — you're willing to do the work.

However, life will interrupt. Some days you'll bring full focus; other days you'll be tired, distracted, or stretched thin. A good system accounts for that reality, not requiring perfection to produce results.

Learn21 is built on the same principles I used in Singapore — the same principles that helped a coasting senior become a physics tutor ten months later. These principles are applicable across all parts of life, helping you understand the learning system.

When you understand the system, you own the system — and a system you own keeps working long after the 21 days end.

The first cohort begins Monday, February 2nd.

​Learn more and reserve your spot here!​

If you have questions, simply reply to this email — I read and respond to every one.

If you want to get a preview on some of the foundational ideas in Learn21, check out this essay: That’s How Learning Works?!?! A Comprehensive Model for Understanding the Learning Process.