I Failed My Own Learning Test (Then Fixed It)

I’m sitting on the train to Leipzig, cracking open “Der weiße Hai im Weltraum” (The White Shark in Space). Page 1, page 20, page 50 - I can’t put it down.

No highlighter in sight. No notebook open. Just pure consumption.

“This is brilliant!” I think with every story, every insight, every aha-moment. The book is masterfully written, packed with frameworks and revelations that could transform how I approach my work.

Five hours later, I’m done. Satisfied. Educated. Ready to change the world with my newfound wisdom.

Fast forward exactly two weeks…

The Test That Humbled Me

I’m sitting at my desk, preparing content about learning systems. Perfect timing to reference that excellent book I devoured on the train.

I grab my notebook, pen poised, ready to capture the key insights that had blown my mind just fourteen days earlier.

And then… nothing.

Complete blank.

I stare at the empty page, my mind as vacant as the paper in front of me. What were those brilliant frameworks? Which stories had resonated so deeply? What were the specific techniques I was going to implement?

Gone. All of it.

My shoulders slump. This can’t be happening. I flip through my notes - oh wait, I didn’t take any. The book sits on my shelf, a $20 paperweight containing wisdom I can no longer access.

That’s when it hits me: I had completely ignored my own system. Those five hours weren’t learning - they were entertainment disguised as education.

Why Smart People Forget Everything They Read

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most of us are terrible at retaining what we consume.

Research from the University of Waterloo shows that within 24 hours, we forget 50% of new information. Within a week? We’re down to just 10% retention.

When we read passively - like I did on that train - our retention rates plummet even further.

But here’s what’s really happening in our brains:

The Illusion of Learning When information flows smoothly into our minds, we mistake that ease for understanding. The book made sense while reading it, so we assume we’ve learned it.

Psychologists call this “fluency illusion.”

The Recognition Trap We can recognize concepts when we see them again, which tricks us into thinking we truly know them. But recognition isn’t recall. Recognition isn’t application.

The Passive Brain Without active engagement, our brains treat new information as temporary. Why would they store something we’re not actively working with?

The result? We become knowledge consumers instead of knowledge creators. We collect insights like souvenirs, then wonder why our thinking doesn’t actually improve.

Before I dive into my solution, a quick heads-up:

If this train story is hitting too close to home, I’m doing a live deep-dive on the E³ Framework this Tuesday (September 23rd, 7 PM).

I’ll show you exactly how to implement what I’m about to share, plus you’ll get my Book.To.Action System and access to the Story Writing AI.

Details: https://quintsmart.com/learning-ecosystem-webinar​

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Alright, here’s the system that changed everything…

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The E³ Framework: From Consumption to Creation

After my humbling train experience, I reconnected with my E³ Framework - a system I’d developed but clearly wasn’t practicing. This wake-up call forced me to actually use what I’d been teaching:

Erfassen (Extract) → Entwickeln (Enhance) → Erschaffen (Express)

Let me break down each phase:

Erfassen (Extract): Active Engagement From Page One

This isn’t about highlighting everything. It’s about strategic capture.

I implement this by highlighting what truly resonates - not just what sounds smart, but what connects to my current challenges or sparks genuine curiosity.

Then I ensure these highlights become part of my knowledge system. For Kindle, I use automated highlight export. For paper books, I take photos and leverage AI to extract the highlights.

It’s about frictionless transfer from high-volume input to already distilled insights that matter to you.

The Margin Conversation I have with myself while highlighting: “This contradicts what I learned about…” or “How does this apply to my client work?”

Entwickeln (Enhance): Making Connections

Raw highlights are just data. The enhancement phase turns these highlights into insights.

Three approaches that work:

The Connection Web: I link new concepts to existing knowledge.

Ask yourself:

• How does this framework relate to something I already know?
• Where do I see contradictions or confirmations?

The Application Bridge:

For every major concept, I ask: “Where could I use this in the next 30 days?”

Define specific scenarios, not vague intentions.

The Question Generator:

I take notes immediately while enhancing my book insights.

These questions get me into exploration mode fast:

• What questions does this raise?
• What would I need to test or explore further?

Erschaffen (Express): The Retention Multiplier

This is where real learning happens - when you create something new with what you’ve consumed:

Teach to Learn: I write explanations as if teaching someone else. This reveals gaps in my understanding immediately.

Framework Adaptation: I take the author’s frameworks and adapt them to my specific context. How would this look in my industry? With my constraints?

Story Integration: I find ways to weave new concepts into stories - either by connecting them to my experiences or by creating scenarios where they apply.

And this is where my latest tool comes in…

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The Story Writing Revolution

After implementing E³ for months, I noticed something: the “Erschaffen” phase was where I struggled most. I could capture and develop insights, but creating something meaningful with them? That’s where I’d often stall.

Then I discovered a new form of immediate expression: creating an AI assistant to support leveraging newly gained insights and bringing them to action.

Applied to my reading of “Der weiße Hai im Weltraum,” I immediately turned these insights into my Story Writing AI Assistant.

This isn’t just another writing tool. It’s specifically designed to help you transform abstract concepts into memorable narratives.

Whether you’re:

→ Trying to remember what you learned
→ Preparing a presentation
→ Writing content that resonates
→ Teaching others complex ideas

The assistant helps you find the narrative threads that make information stick.

Here’s what makes it different: Instead of generic story templates, it analyzes your specific insights and suggests story structures that highlight the key concepts you want to remember or share.

For my newsletter readers, I’m granting free access to experiment with this assistant.

You can use it to transform your own learning into stories that stick - both for your own retention and for sharing with others.

Your E³ Implementation Guide

Ready to stop forgetting what you read? Here’s your step-by-step system:

Before You Read:

1. Set an intention: What specific problem are you hoping this book will help solve?
2. Prepare your tools: Physical book + pen, or digital highlighting system
3. Allocate time for processing, not just reading

During Reading:

• Highlight what truly resonates
• Take breaks to let concepts settle (this leverages diffused thinking mode)
• Take notes during these breaks

After Reading:

• Create a one-page summary of key insights
• Identify 3 specific applications for the next month
• Generate 5 questions for further exploration
• Create something: a story, explanation, or adaptation

(You can use my 📚Book.To.Action system in this Express phase)

Weekly Review:

• Revisit your notes and applications
• Update your implementation based on what you’ve learned
• Connect new insights to previous learning

The Meta-Learning Lesson

Here’s the irony that still makes me smile: I had to fail at my own system to truly understand why it works.

That train ride taught me something no book could: Knowledge without application is just entertainment. Insights without integration are just intellectual decoration.

The E³ Framework isn’t just about remembering what you read. It’s about transforming information into wisdom, consumption into creation, passive learning into active growth.

Every time I open a book now, I bet I’ll remember that train to Leipzig. I remember the empty notebook and the humbling realization that followed.

And I remember that the goal isn’t to consume more - it’s to create more with what we consume.

Ready to Transform How You Learn?

If this resonates with you - if you’ve ever finished a book and forgotten everything two weeks later - I have something that can help.

Next Tuesday, September 23rd, I’m running a live webinar where I’ll walk you through the E³ Framework in action. You’ll see exactly how to:

→ Set up capture systems that actually work

→ Develop insights that compound over time

→ Create outputs that cement your learning

Plus, I’m sharing my 📚Book.To.Action System with all live participants - the exact process I wish I’d used on that train to Leipzig.

And as part of getting into action mode, I’ll also grant access to the Story Writing AI assistant I created to help with the “Erschaffen” phase. It guides you in turning insights into memorable narratives that stick.

Live Webinar: September 23rd, 7:00 PM
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60 minutes of the E³ Framework + my complete Book.To.Action System

Register here: https://quintsmart.com/learning-ecosystem-webinar

(60 spots already taken!)

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Because the goal isn’t just to read more books. It’s to become the person who can access and apply the wisdom within them.

Try the E³ Framework with your next book. And if you want help turning your insights into memorable stories, reply to this email with “STORY ACCESS” and I’ll send you the link to my Story Writing AI Assistant.

Your future self - the one who actually remembers what they read - will thank you.

P.S. What’s the last book you read that you can barely remember?

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Hit reply and tell me about it. I bet you’re not alone in that experience.

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Learn smart,

Sebastian

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P.S.​
​Erfassen - Entwickeln - Erschaffen: Verwandle dein Wissens-Chaos in 30 Minuten in echten Wert on September 23rd at 19:00.

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To respond to this newsletter, just hit reply. I love getting replies, read all of them, and reply to as many as possible(And if you received this email from a friend, and would like to subscribe, please go here: https://pages.quintsmart.com/)

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