The 12% Problem: Why Most of What You Learn Gets Wasted
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Hey there, This week feels like standing at the base of a mountain, looking up at everything that's about to happen. Law school summer courses start tomorrow. Systematic You just kicked off a major client engagement where I’m serving as a Principal Consultant. I’m also working with several VIP Day clients over the next few weeks—helping them untangle backend bottlenecks, streamline messy workflows, and walk away with systems they can actually stick with. And I’m gearing up to launch a new product I’m really excited about (more on that soon!). Last week, I shared how I’ve been using AI as a thinking partner in my learning workflow—turning scattered notes into actionable insights. The response was incredible. A lot of you asked for more concrete systems to bridge that knowing-doing gap. Thank you for taking the time to reply! I know how busy you are and it means a lot to me. So today, I want to go deeper into why that gap exists in the first place. Because when you understand why something’s not sticking, you can finally build a system that works with your brain instead of against it. Have you ever noticed how it feels easier to buy another course than to apply what you learned from the last one? You’re not alone. According to research published in Harvard Business Review, only 12% of employees consistently apply new skills learned in training programs to their jobs (Beer, Finnström & Schrader, 2016). That’s a 12% implementation rate, despite billions spent on training and development every year. Here’s why that happens: 1. Our brains weren’t built for this much input.We’re consuming more content in a single day than our ancestors did in a month. Our brains evolved for survival-level processing, not for the firehose of ideas we take in from podcasts, books, tutorials, and scroll sessions. 2. We skip the integration step.Most learning systems focus on capturing information—not turning it into action. Your notes app might store your ideas beautifully but completely fail to surface them when you actually need them. 3. There’s no feedback loop.Without a system that prompts you to revisit and use what you’ve learned, that knowledge just sits there. Not because you’re lazy. Not because you don’t care. But because memory decays fast.Really fast. The Forgetting CurveHave you heard of the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve? It’s a cognitive science concept that explains why we forget approximately 70% of what we learn within 24 hours—unless we have systems to reinforce it (Murre & Dros, 2015). That steep initial drop is predictable. It’s not personal. It’s just how memory works. The Forgetting Curve was developed in the 1880s by Hermann Ebbinghaus, who conducted groundbreaking experiments using nonsense syllables to study memory retention. His research showed that memory declines along a consistent curve, with retention dropping as follows:
That’s not a mindset issue. That’s math. I’ve been using this research to inform how I approach learning and implementation, especially when juggling multiple strategic projects like my current consulting engagement. Instead of fighting my brain’s natural forgetting process, I’ve built systems that work with it. I’ve been quietly building a system around this—something simple, flexible, and AI-supported. And I’ll share more soon. If you want a deeper dive, I recommend Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry Roediger III, and Mark McDaniel. It’s one of my all-time favorite resources on how to learn in a way that actually sticks (Brown et al., 2014). Q&A: Learning SystemsQ: I have notes everywhere (journals, apps, voice memos). How do I bring them together without starting over? A: Start by identifying the notes that actually matter: client insights, frameworks, recurring ideas. Don’t try to clean everything up at once. Create a simple index (even in a Google Sheet) that tells you where things are. Build the habit of consolidation moving forward. Remember—perfect systems fail. Simple systems that you use win every time. Q: How do you balance learning and implementing while running a business? A: I schedule 30-minute implementation blocks right after learning something valuable. Not to do it all—but to extract one insight and make it actionable. It’s not about volume—it’s about consistency. The system matters more than the size. Coming Up This WeekFor Systematic AF Club Members:A new tutorial drops this coming Friday, May 23: “Building Your Implementation Stack”. We’ll walk through how to design workflows that move your insights into execution—without adding more complexity.
👉 Not a member yet? Join the Club here and get access to the full training library, upcoming tutorials, and live Q&As designed to help you actually use what you learn—without doing it all alone.
Need 1:1 support?I have two June Strategy Session spots still open. These are perfect if you want to work through backend friction, client experience systems, or implementation planning.
If you’re in a busy season too, just remember: Systems aren’t about being perfect.They’re about making things easier when life is anything but.Until next Sunday, Dr. Monica P.S. What’s one thing you’ve learned recently that you haven’t implemented yet? Hit reply—I’d love to hear! |