# The number of zettels written per day is a better lead measure for learning

The amount of accessible mediums where we can learn today is unprecedented, there are more books, audiobooks, videos, podcasts, or articles than ever before. You may try to learn more by consuming all these contents, but this is a mistake because Understanding requires elaboration. Using the number of books you have read, or the number of audiobooks you have listened to, as the lead measure of your learning therefore is futile.

When you Write about what you read, you'll force yourself to get a better understanding about what you're learning. Writing your zettels therefore is a better lead measure for your learning. Once you do this, you'll soon realise that you can only write so much in a day because the process of elaboration requires effort. You should also put a brake to what you consume, knowing that the process of elaboration is the only way to close your learning loop.


# References

Ahrens, How to Take Smart Notes (p. 94).

And that is because taking a note and sorting it into the slip-box can be done in one go, while writing a manuscript page could involve weeks and months of preparation involving other tasks as well. You could therefore measure your daily productivity by the number of notes written.