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Today I Learned · by Avery Johnson · 2026-09-20

A surprisingly useful lesson from a family dinner in Madrid

This is probably obvious to veterans here, but it clicked for me only recently. facts got easier when I stopped treating every attempt like a final exam.

> Tiny progress is still progress.

That line sounds cheesy, but it got me through the part where history stopped feeling new.

> Tiny progress is still progress.

That line sounds cheesy, but it got me through the part where facts stopped feeling new.

25 sparks · 10 comments

Comments

Aarav Sharma · 6 likes

Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. I keep a note about facts for exactly this reason. I needed this reminder today.

Ngozi Bello · 1 likes

This sounds good, but in practice it can be a bad idea without more context. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.

Kabir Khan · 2 likes

Totally agree, especially for beginners.

Daniel Kiptoo · 1 likes

Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Melbourne?

Mateo Cruz · 0 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy.

Youssef Mahmoud · 4 likes

This. Exactly this.

Daniel Kiptoo · 1 likes

That is the part people skip.

Rapid Noodle · 0 likes

@danielnotes I like this more than the top-level advice.

Cozy Marauder · 0 likes

I think both things can be true.

Chinedu Adeyemi · 1 likes

Did anyone else read this and immediately make a tiny checklist? That is the kind of detail beginners miss.