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On\\ this\\ page

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  • TL;DR
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  • Why\\ DIY\\ curricula\\ fail
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  • Why\\ this\\ matters\\ now
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  • A\\ better\\ lens
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  • The\\ framework
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  • Map\\ the\\ topic
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  • Build\\ a\\ book\\ ladder
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  • Source\\ lists\\ without\\ the\\ hype
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  • The\\ 60/30/10\\ mix
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  • Weekly\\ blocks\\ and\\ seasons
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  • Notes\\ and\\ retrieval
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  • Practice\\ loops
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  • Find\\ lightweight\\ mentors
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  • Projects\\ that\\ force\\ learning
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  • Measure\\ what\\ matters
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  • A\\ 90‑day\\ plan
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  • Pitfalls\\ and\\ fixes
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  • Myths\\ vs\\ facts
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  • Templates
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  • Related\\ reading
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  • FAQs
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  • Map\\ the\\ topic\\ before\\ buying\\ books;\\ build\\ a\\ ladder\\ from\\ easy\\ →\\ core\\ →\\ advanced\\.
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  • Read\\ in\\ seasons\\ \\(6–8\\ weeks\\)\\ with\\ weekly\\ blocks\\ and\\ one\\ small\\ project\\ per\\ season\\.
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  • Use\\ three‑bullet\\ notes\\ and\\ monthly\\ synthesis;\\ track\\ input\\ you\\ control\\ and\\ output\\ you\\ feel\\.
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  • Practice\\ beats\\ volume:\\ ship\\ tiny\\ projects\\ and\\ get\\ feedback;\\ your\\ ladder\\ evolves\\ from\\ results,\\ not\\ ideals\\.
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Why\\ DIY\\ curricula\\ fail

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We\\ buy\\ expert\\ books,\\ stack\\ them\\ on\\ a\\ desk,\\ and\\ declare\\ a\\ new\\ self‑study\\ path\\.\\ Two\\ weeks\\ later\\ the\\ pile\\ is\\ a\\ guilt\\ tower\\.\\ The\\ failure\\ isn’t\\ motivation;\\ it’s\\ design\\.\\ We\\ skip\\ mapping\\ the\\ topic,\\ choose\\ books\\ too\\ hard\\ for\\ our\\ current\\ scaffolding,\\ overestimate\\ weekly\\ time,\\ and\\ forget\\ that\\ skill\\ requires\\ practice—not\\ just\\ pages\\.

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Why\\ this\\ matters\\ now

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  • Career\\ agility:\\ industries\\ shift;\\ your\\ edge\\ is\\ learning\\ new\\ domains\\ quickly\\ and\\ credibly\\.
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  • Signal\\ vs\\.\\ noise:\\ the\\ internet\\ offers\\ lists;\\ you\\ need\\ a\\ path\\.
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  • Joy:\\ a\\ good\\ curriculum\\ turns\\ anxiety\\ into\\ curiosity—progress\\ you\\ can\\ feel\\ weekly\\.
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A\\ better\\ lens

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  • Curriculum\\ =\\ map\\ \\+\\ ladder\\ \\+\\ loops:\\ topic\\ map\\ for\\ orientation,\\ book\\ ladder\\ for\\ sequence,\\ practice\\ loops\\ for\\ skill\\.
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  • Seasons\\ over\\ semesters:\\ 6–8\\ week\\ sprints\\ beat\\ sprawling\\ “someday”\\ plans\\.
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  • Evidence\\ over\\ ego:\\ let\\ projects\\ and\\ feedback\\ reshape\\ your\\ list\\ every\\ month\\.
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The\\ framework

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  • Map\\ the\\ topic\\ \\(questions,\\ subfields,\\ key\\ terms,\\ debates\\)\\.
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  • Ladder\\ books\\ and\\ resources\\ from\\ accessible\\ to\\ advanced\\.
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  • Blocks\\ of\\ weekly\\ reading\\ and\\ one\\ small\\ project\\ per\\ season\\.
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  • Notes\\ you’ll\\ reuse;\\ monthly\\ synthesis\\.
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  • Practice\\ loops\\ \\(do\\ →\\ feedback\\ →\\ adjust\\)\\.
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Map\\ the\\ topic

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In\\ 60–90\\ minutes,\\ sketch\\ the\\ territory\\ so\\ your\\ book\\ choices\\ fit\\ reality\\.

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  1. Questions:\\ write\\ 5–10\\ questions\\ you\\ want\\ answers\\ to\\ in\\ plain\\ language\\.
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  2. Subfields:\\ scan\\ reputable\\ syllabi\\ or\\ overview\\ articles;\\ list\\ 5–8\\ subtopics\\.
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  3. Terms:\\ collect\\ 10–20\\ key\\ terms;\\ define\\ loosely\\ now—precision\\ comes\\ later\\.
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  4. Debates:\\ note\\ 2–3\\ live\\ controversies\\ or\\ schools\\ of\\ thought\\.
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  5. Practitioners:\\ list\\ a\\ few\\ authors,\\ labs,\\ firms,\\ or\\ projects\\ doing\\ real\\ work\\.
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Capture\\ as\\ a\\ one‑page\\ “topic\\ map”\\ note\\ you’ll\\ update\\ monthly\\.

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Build\\ a\\ book\\ ladder

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Create\\ three\\ rungs;\\ keep\\ 2–4\\ items\\ per\\ rung:

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  • Accessible:\\ introductions,\\ explainers,\\ narrative\\ histories—clear\\ writing,\\ minimal\\ jargon\\.
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  • Core:\\ widely\\ cited\\ texts,\\ solid\\ textbooks,\\ or\\ practitioner\\ handbooks\\.
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  • Advanced:\\ specialized\\ monographs,\\ papers,\\ or\\ technical\\ guides\\.
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One\\ book\\ per\\ rung\\ is\\ enough\\ to\\ start\\.\\ Add\\ as\\ you\\ learn\\ where\\ the\\ value\\ is\\.

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Source\\ lists\\ without\\ the\\ hype

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  • University\\ syllabi\\ and\\ reading\\ lists\\ in\\ related\\ courses\\.
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  • Year‑end\\ “best\\ of”\\ lists\\ by\\ practitioners\\ with\\ skin\\ in\\ the\\ game\\.
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  • Reference\\ sections\\ of\\ books\\ you\\ already\\ trust\\ \\(follow\\ citations\\)\\.
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  • Communities\\ that\\ summarize\\ with\\ receipts\\ \\(links,\\ quotes\\),\\ not\\ takes\\.
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The\\ 60/30/10\\ mix

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Over\\ a\\ season,\\ aim\\ for\\ a\\ mix\\ that\\ balances\\ breadth,\\ depth,\\ and\\ practice:

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  • 60%\\ accessible/core\\ reading\\ \\(moving\\ through\\ the\\ ladder\\)\\.
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  • 30%\\ doing\\ \\(exercises,\\ small\\ projects,\\ write‑ups\\)\\.
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  • 10%\\ advanced\\ sampling\\ \\(one\\ paper/week\\ or\\ a\\ chapter\\ at\\ a\\ time\\)\\.
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Weekly\\ blocks\\ and\\ seasons

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  • Two\\ 45–60\\ minute\\ reading\\ blocks\\ on\\ weekdays;\\ one\\ optional\\ weekend\\ session\\.
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  • One\\ 90‑minute\\ “doing”\\ block:\\ code,\\ write,\\ analyze,\\ build,\\ or\\ teach\\.
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  • Season\\ length:\\ 6–8\\ weeks;\\ one\\ theme\\ per\\ season\\ \\(e\\.g\\.,\\ “intro\\ \\+\\ one\\ core”\\ or\\ “core\\ \\+\\ first\\ project”\\)\\.
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Protect\\ blocks\\ with\\ the\\ same\\ attention\\ design\\ you\\ use\\ for\\ long‑reads:\\ reader\\ mode,\\ no\\ notifications,\\ phone\\ docked\\.\\ See\\ /articles/weekly-long-read-ritual\\.html\\ and\\ /articles/phone-attention-design\\.html

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Notes and retrieval

  • Three bullets per session (thesis, surprise, try) and one quote max.
  • One evergreen note per reusable idea (claim → why it matters → how to use → refs).
  • Monthly synthesis: one page of what changed in your understanding and what you’ll try next.

For a compact system, see Book notes you’ll actually use.

Practice loops

Reading changes your brain; doing changes your life. Install loops that force retrieval and application:

  • Teach: a 5‑minute lightning talk or a 300‑word summary to a peer.
  • Build: a tiny tool, model, or checklist that uses one idea.
  • Decide: a policy or process you adjust at work and review next month.

Find lightweight mentors

  • Follow one practitioner who shares process, not just headlines.
  • Ask narrow questions with context; propose one small thing you’ll try based on their answer.
  • Offer value back (a summary, an edit, a tiny PR) so it’s a loop, not a siphon.

Projects that force learning

  • Write: an explainer or a “how I built X” post with code or steps.
  • Analyze: a dataset with a question you care about.
  • Build: a tool with a user (you or a friend) and a feedback loop.
  • Compare: two rival books—where they agree, diverge, and what you conclude.

Ship something tiny by week 4 of every season. The point isn’t polish; it’s pressure that produces understanding.

Measure what matters

  • Inputs: blocks completed, pages per week, bullets written, project hours.
  • Outputs: one artifact per season (post, tool, analysis), one decision changed at work, clarity (1–5).

Ignore vanity counts (total highlights, total books). Optimize for reusable ideas and shipped projects.

A 90‑day plan

Weeks 1–2: Map and start the ladder

  • Build a one‑page topic map; pick 1 accessible + 1 core book.
  • Schedule two reading blocks and one doing block per week; set up environment.

Weeks 3–6: Throughput and first practice

  • Finish accessible; reach halfway in core; ship a tiny project by week 4.
  • Monthly synthesis: update topic map and ladder based on what helped most.

Weeks 7–10: Depth and comparison

  • Finish core; sample one advanced chapter/paper per week; compare two sources.
  • Start a second project that uses one idea in the real world.

Weeks 11–13: Consolidate and share

  • Write a one‑page synthesis (what changed, what you can do now, what’s next).
  • Share or teach: lightning talk, post, or a short demo to a friend/team.

Pitfalls and fixes

  • Book shopping as progress: limit to one per rung until you ship a project.
  • Too hard, too soon: if stalled for two weeks, drop to a more accessible text or add a companion explainer.
  • All reading, no doing: schedule the doing block first; fill with the easiest viable task.
  • No feedback: ask one person for one note; iterate once.

Myths vs facts

  • Myth: “Experts read only the hardest books.” Fact: they use accessible texts to build scaffolds fast.
  • Myth: “If I finish many books, I’ll be skilled.” Fact: skill comes from practice loops and feedback.
  • Myth: “Curricula must be fixed.” Fact: yours should evolve monthly based on results.

Templates

Topic map (one page)

Questions: [5–10]
Subfields: [5–8]
Terms: [10–20]
Debates: [2–3]
Practitioners: [names/projects]

Book ladder

Accessible: [2–4]
Core: [2–4]
Advanced: [2–4]
Season theme: [6–8 weeks]
Project: [tiny, shippable]

Season review

What changed in my understanding?
Which source helped most?
What did I ship?
What will I try next season?

FAQs

How many books should be in a curriculum?

Start with 3–6 total across rungs. One per rung is enough to begin. Add more based on what actually helped, not wish lists.

Should I take an online course instead?

Courses can help if the instructor is excellent and you need accountability. A self‑designed curriculum shines when you want flexibility, depth, and immediate application.

What if I switch topics mid‑season?

Rename the season and keep the blocks. Finish one tiny project that uses what you learned so far; then rebuild your map for the new topic.