The Learning Bug: A Personal Introduction

I'm a massive believer in lifelong learning. While formal education typically ends after school, our journey of discovery never should. As much as I despised homework as a kid, I was always captivated by understanding how things worked. I never really grew out of that "how does that work?" phase—huge credit goes to my maternal grandfather who patiently fielded all those questions over the years, and to my mother for explaining how ceiling fans worked. Every. Single. Nap.

As I evolved, so did my learning toolkit: from family wisdom to books, from computers to the internet, and now to AI and LLMs. While there's something irreplaceable about curling up with a good book, there's also something powerful about having personalized content delivered in your preferred learning style. Whether it's one-on-one sessions with teachers, an effective tutoring session, or an AI tool that understands your capabilities—the right format makes all the difference.

As a founder, I can personally attest that continuous learning isn't just a hobby—it's been essential to my journey. I wouldn't have made it this far without being open to learning from people, books, and yes, even the internet itself.

Evolution of Learning Tools: My Three-Act Journey

Act 1: The Trusted Paper Companion

Books have been our faithful companions for thousands of years¹ . Their value is indisputable, allowing humans to extend their minds and share thoughts across millennia. I'd argue that the written word ranks among humanity's greatest inventions.

There's something magical about being able to walk into any local library and access knowledge for free. How incredible is that? While libraries might not be the most exciting places, they're realms of possibility and imagination. I still remember visiting the Scottsdale Public Library as a kid, checking out books and earning pizza rewards for completing them (amazingly, that program is still going strong 40 years later!² ). This library habit has followed me into adulthood, though now it's primarily via Libby and my Kindle.

A book is remarkable because it lets you learn directly from global experts on any subject imaginable—all for the investment of a few hours of attention. Not sure where to start? Seek recommendations from friends or explore bestseller lists. Have strong opinions about what you've read? Share them on Goodreads—you might even get a response from the author themselves³ .

Books will never be replaced, but they can certainly be augmented. Those recommendation lists and reading apps bridge us into the internet era of learning.

Act 2: The Internet Revolution

Need a quick answer? Google it. The phrase has become more ubiquitous than Kleenex or Xerox. There's hardly anything else in the world that can connect you to common knowledge faster than search.

This hit home for me in high school. Research papers were no longer confined to the local library and microfilm. While we still had to cite sources (MLA-style, naturally), the internet dramatically expanded our resource pool. New perspectives and sources became available in seconds. Yes, not everything online is true, but resources like Wikipedia have proven their reliability—it's time we embraced that fact. The possibilities of online learning are limitless if you're willing to dive in.

If text isn't your style, there's video. YouTube users watch over a billion hours of content daily⁵ . While some of that might be entertainment, there's an endless wealth of how-to videos and tutorials. I've personally saved hundreds on plumber fees thanks to YouTube tutorials on fixing leaky toilets & broken water heaters!

Forum sites are another goldmine of knowledge. StackOverflow is invaluable for programmers, and specialized forums like TundraTalk helped me fix my truck a few years back. The collective knowledge of these communities is incredible.

Act 3: The AI Renaissance

Unless you've been living under a rock, AI tools like LLMs and diffusion models have revolutionized learning once again.

Tools like ChatGPT and Claude let you converse with vast knowledge bases. Want sources? Try Perplexity—you get ChatGPT-like interactions plus citations and current information. Is a topic too complex? Ask for an explanation "like I'm five." Need to digest a dense document? Tools like NotebookLM can transform any PDF into an engaging audio podcast with multiple hosts.

The benefits of using language models to distill information are countless. At Attrove, I use these tools daily—they make me smarter and more efficient. Whether I'm bouncing ideas around, pair programming, or editing copy, they've become indispensable learning companions.

The Learning Never Stops

Lifelong learning requires evolving your toolset over time. While people often resist change, I encourage you to embrace it—at least when it comes to learning methods.

What I've come to appreciate is how each era's tools excel at different aspects of learning. Books remain unmatched for deep, structured knowledge and well-reasoned arguments—there's nothing quite like spending a few hours with an expert's carefully crafted thoughts. The internet revolutionized the "how-to" space and brought us countless perspectives—whether you're debugging code on Stack Overflow or watching someone rebuild an engine on YouTube. Now AI serves as a personal learning companion, adapting complex topics to your level and helping you explore ideas in ways that work best for your brain.

If you're a dedicated reader who hasn't explored AI-powered learning tools, give them a try. If you prefer computers but struggle with traditional books, consider audiobooks, or AI-generated summaries. The key is finding what works for you.

Whatever method you choose... just keep on learning.

1: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/literature/oldest-book-in-the-world.htm

2: https://www.bookitprogram.com/

3: https://authornews.penguinrandomhouse.com/how-to-connect-with-fans-on-goodreads/

4: https://seo.ai/blog/how-many-people-use-google

5: https://increditools.com/how-many-videos-are-on-youtube/