50 Great Ways to Learn Something New Everyday
“Knowledge is when you learn something new everyday. Wisdom is when you let something go every day.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet.
Back in the day, knowledge was obtained by borrowing books from the local library, attending a university for many years, or taking courses from a local photographer or beekeeper. Now, the learning process is readily available online. You just need an internet connection and get onto Google search, and you can get the answer to many questions.
Despite this, many of us use our limited personal resources (skills, time, energy, attention, healthy eating habits, and money) binge-watching television series in our everyday life. Please take a break from that and push yourself to be more productive with your leisure time. Let’s attempt to learn something new every day; it’ll be worthwhile!
Learning a new skill every day may enhance your thinking, social life, as well as your career and personal lives. You will be happier, have better brain function, and be less prone to develop dementia. Other people will find you more intriguing since you can tell them about the knowledge and abilities you have acquired. Furthermore, learning new skills and knowledge may help you develop in your professional job.
To get you started, this article has 50 fantastic resources for learning something new every day!
Please keep in mind that the list below is intended to be used as a buffet. If you attempt to do everything, you won’t get much done. Your plate will be stacked high, and you will get unwell and lose motivation. Select a few things below that pique your interest and investigate them. If you like the samples, come back for more and delve deeper into the subject.
10 Websites to Help You Read and Develop Skills
In the first group, I’ve listed 10 apps and websites that may help you read and improve your cognitive and linguistic abilities. Reading is crucial since it promotes personal development and mental health, as well as the ability to learn new things every day. Language learning may also aid you with memory, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Audible
Audible is an audiobook app, subscription service, and store. As a member, you may purchase credits each month to use for audiobooks or buy books outright. Rather than reading, you may listen to the books on the app.
Blinkist
Blinkist is a subscription library of book summaries in text and audio format. It lets you get the main takeaways from their library of 3000+ nonfiction books in 15 minutes or less. Blinkest offers a 7-day free trial here, so you can explore their library of summaries.
Codecademy
Codecademy is an online interactive learning platform that provides both free and paid coding courses. The website provides 12 programming/markup languages: Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, Swift, Sass, HTML, and CSS.
DuoLingo
Duolingo is a language learning website and app that supports over 20 languages. You may see the content for free or pay for a premium subscription. However, DuoLingo should not be used as a standalone new language lesson. It should be a tool in your toolkit since it is enjoyable and simple to use.
Goodreads
Goodreads is a free book review and suggestion website that might help you discover your next book. The website lets you freely browse its library of books, annotations, and reviews. You may also save books that you’ve read or wish to read. You should check out my book list here.
Grammarly
Grammarly is a desktop or internet browser-based writing program that helps you write simply and efficiently. You may use it for free or purchase the commercial edition, which will help you detect many more spelling and grammatical issues than the free version.
Kindle
Kindle gives you access to the library of books that you buy or rent from Amazon or borrow online from your local library. Most people read using a physical Kindle, which is a small hand-held electronic reading device.
Lumosity
Lumosity is a cognitive training website that provides an interactive approach to learning about your mind and enhancing your cognitive abilities. The website offers scientifically created activities to help you improve your memory, attention, agility, flexibility, and problem-solving skills.
Memrise
Memrise is a fun language study program that supports over 15 languages, including French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Italian. To help you practice, the app includes a variety of flashcards, videos with native speakers, and amusing activities.
Scribd
Scribd is a subscription service that provides access to millions of documents, such as audiobooks, novels, magazine articles, sheet music, and more. You can get 2 months of free access to content with this link.
10 Podcasts that You’ll Enjoy Listening to
Podcasts are typically free audio shows to help you learn something new everyday on a wide range of topics. Below, I have included 10 podcasts that will make you think and learn.
You just need access to the internet and find a podcast platform that you like. The easiest way to access a podcast on your mobile device is by downloading the iTunes app on Apple iPhones or Google Podcasts on Android devices. Other popular podcast apps include Spotify, Overcast, and Castbox.
The Daily from the New York Times
The Daily is a daily news podcast and radio show by The New York Times. Political journalist, Michael Barbaro, hosts the podcast. The show includes stories reported from that day and interviews with other journalists.
Freakonomics Radio with Stephen J. Dubner
Freakonomics Radio is by Stephen J. Dubner, one of the co-authors of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Dubner helps you explore socioeconomic issues from a different perspective with Nobel laureates, intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and many others.
Hardcore History with Dan Carlin
In Hardcore History, Dan Carlin, a journalist and broadcaster, takes you on his wild ride through historical events using his contrarian ways of thinking. These entertaining and dramatic podcasts will show you history through a different lens.
How I Built This with Guy Raz
In NPR podcast, How I Built This, Guy Raz takes you behind the scenes of the founding and history of the most renowned companies in the world. In the show, Raz interviews innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists to dive deep into the ideas and empires they built.
The Jordan Harbinger Show
Jordan Harbinder interviews the world’s most intelligent and creative minds, including prolific writers, intelligence agents, and visionary disrupters. The show provides new strategies, perspectives, and tactics that you can apply to your own life.
Making Sense with Sam Harris
In Making Sense, neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author, Sam Harris, dives deep into the most important and intriguing questions in our world. He dives deep into topics, such as the human mind, society, and current events.
Philosophize This!
This education podcast will help you grasp philosophy without need a formal education. The podcast’s episodes are organized chronologically by the philosophers and ideas that impacted our world.
Stuff You Should Know
In the Stuff You Should Know (SYSK) podcast hosted by HowStuffWorks writers, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. In SYSK, they cover many topics from science, history, and pop culture, with the occasional conspiracy theory for fun.
TED Talks Daily
In the TED Talks Daily, journalist Elise Hu exposes you to thought-provoking ideas from a multitude of subjects, including philosophy, science, and technology. The talks are given by prominent visionaries, experts, and inventors around the world with a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset.
The Tim Ferriss Show
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the top business podcasts of all time. Best-selling author, Tim Ferriss, interviews amazing people in finance, sports, business, and art. He helps you understand their ideas and new skills and apply the tactics, tools, and daily routines to your own life.
10 YouTube Channels that will Get You Hooked
On YouTube, you have access to millions of original video content. Below, I give my list of 10 amazing YouTube channels that will allow you to learn something new everyday.
C.G.P. Grey
CGP Grey is an educational YouTuber and podcaster who creates short explanatory videos. The videos cover a wide range of subjects, including politics, geography, economics, history, and culture.
Crash Course
Crash Course was started by brothers, John Green and Hank Green, to facilitate learning and provide high-quality educational content for free. The channel has over 15 courses in many complicated subjects, including science, literature, economics, and history. “Don’t Forget to Be Awesome!”
HowStuffWorks
This channel is by the education website, HowStuffWorks. They are committed to helping you satisfy your curiosity and understand “how stuff works” in this incredible world.
Numberphile
Numberphile is a channel with videos discussing the many fields of mathematics. They break down complex math principles and topics such that it is understandable for the average, non-math person.
Real Engineering
Real Engineering explores the engineering marvels that make up our world. The channel aims to inspire the current, and next generations of engineers to make our world a better place.
SciShow
Started by Hank Green, the SciShow channel dives into many topics in science. These videos will spark your curiosity and defy your expectations about the incredible world around you.
SmarterEveryDay
SmarterEveryDay helps you explore the world using science. Engineer, Destin Sandlin, started the channel to get smarter, share his acquired knowledge, and educate his children.
TED
TED is committed to spreading great ideas that are worthwhile to everyone. The TED Talks channel features the best talks from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give an inspiring talk in 18 minutes (or less). They also have sister channels, for independently organized TEDx talks and educational TED-Ed talks.
Vsauce
Vsauce is by the YouTuber, Michael Stevens. The channel helps you understand many topics, including science, philosophy, mathematics, engineering,technology, and psychology.
Wendover Productions
Wendover Productions by YouTuber Sam Denby is a channel dedicated to helping explain how the world works. It covers a range of topics, such as travel, economics, geography, and marketing.
10 Websites for Video Courses and Documentaries
Video content can be accessed in various ways to help you learn something new every day. Below are 11 websites that specialize in online video courses, programming, and documentaries.
Coursera
Coursera is an online learning website designed to help you learn from massive open online courses from renowned universities like Stanford, Yale, and Michigan. You can join for free to watch but will have to pay for access to graded assignments or certificates.
Creative Live
Creative Live is an online learning platform that offers courses in photography, art, design, crafts, marketing, business, and entrepreneurship. Some courses can be streamed for free, however, most content is charged per class or by the paid membership.
Curiosity Stream
CuriosityStream is a video streaming service that mainly delivers nonfiction documentaries and series related to science, nature, history, technology, society, and lifestyle. The streaming service is not expensive and can be charged on a monthly or yearly basis.
edX
edX is another online daily learning site to learn from massive open online courses from major universities like Harvard and MIT. edX provides free and paid college courses, which include business, computer science, data analysis, humanities, and so much more.
The Great Courses
The Great Courses offers over 500 courses from professors that have the gift of teaching. These courses are available in many digital formats or can be accessed in their subscription service, which is known as The Great Courses Plus.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is dedicated to providing a free, world-class education that can be available to anyone, anywhere in the world. The website offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized dashboard to encourage students to learn at their own pace. They cover many subjects, including math, science, history, economics, and more.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is an education and certification website dedicated to teaching you skills to help you accomplish your goals. LinkedIn learning houses thousands of courses specifically on the topics of software, creativity, and business.
Nebula
Nebula is a paid video streaming service that offers entertaining, informational videos from many educational creators. The website was started by YouTubers CGP Grey and Philipp Dettmer to support creators and help YouTubers test-drive new content.
SkillShare
Skillshare is a subscription learning platform with online classes taught by the world’s best practitioners and creators. They offer many thousands of classes in design, photography, web design, social, and more. You can get two months of Skillshare free by using this link.
Udemy
Udemy is an online learning method marketplace that allows anyone to create a course or pay to take a course. Most courses are skill-based topics, including programming, marketing, data analysis, and more. Note, courses will be heavily-discounted in order to get you to buy them.
10 Email Newsletters that You’ll Enjoy in Your Inbox
Email is so powerful as we habitually check our emails. Studies show that 58% of adults check email in bed, and 42% of adults check email on the toilet. Emails can be intimate and gratifying, so why not subscribe to some awesome email newsletters. Below, I give 10 email newsletters that will help you stay informed or learn something new everyday.
3-2-1 by James Clear
This weekly Thursday newsletter, known as 3-2-1, from the NYT Bestselling author, James Clear, will give you 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question to consider this week. About once or twice a month, he also sends out longer life hacks articles.
1440 Daily Digest
This 5-minute morning brief picks the top news stories from hundreds of sources each day. Topics include sports, tech, culture, business, politics, and more.
The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
This short morning newsletter from the NYT Bestselling author, Ryan Holiday, inspires you using Stoic philosophy. This email will help you cultivate vitality, insight, and wisdom to live your best life.
The Curiosity Chronicle
The Curiosity Chronicle, created by Sahil Bloom, is a newsletter that dives into a wide range of topics, from mindset and life lessons to frameworks and tools for personal and professional growth. It aims to inspire curiosity and provide readers with thought-provoking ideas and actionable insights to enrich their lives and expand their knowledge.
“Mindf*ck Monday” by Mark Manson
Each Monday, NYT Bestselling author, Mark Manson emails you his three best ideas for that week. He hopes that his Monday email newsletter helps you start the week off on the right foot.
Morning Brew
This 5-minute ”Daily Brew” picks the latest news from Finance (Wall Street) to Tech (Silicon Valley). Their other topic-based newsletters are the “Emerging Tech Brew” and “Retail Brew.”
New York Times Morning Briefing
The New York Times brings the day’s top news and ideas to your inbox, with their journalists help you make sense of what is happening and why it matters.
NPR Life Kit
Some of us need help adulting and living in this world. This weekly newsletter will help you get your life together, including topics from personal finance, mental health, parenting, education, journalism, and art.
Pocket Hits
Pocket is an app that helps you discover great content, save this content, and lets you return to it later on any device, at any time. Their curated newsletter, Hits, highlights the best stories from across the web using popular and handpicked articles written from Pocket readers and editors.
Bottleneck.io
Bottleneck.io, on the other hand, is a newsletter and community focused on helping businesses scale their operations efficiently. By providing valuable insights, tools, and resources, Bottleneck.io aims to equip founders, COOs, and operators with the knowledge and strategies needed to overcome operational challenges and optimize their business growth.
Next Steps
When you give yourself breaks, I hope this post will inspire you to learn something new everyday instead of defaulting to binging TV shows. If you need help getting motivated, check out this blog post on productivity quotes.