🔵 Compass Guidebook: Trivium Method Compass Pt 1

Estimated Read Time: 6min

TL;DR

• How I went from feeling "not smart enough" to learning anything with confidence

• The ancient 3-step method that transforms how you think

• Why skipping words you don't know is killing your growth

• AI prompt to help you master any new subject

Hey Success Squad!

Ever feel like you're just not "smart enough" to tackle complex topics? Like there's some secret method of learning that nobody ever taught you?

12 years ago, I was there – but way deeper in the hole.

At 33, I emerged from a drug fog with zero direction and the devastating belief that dropping out of high school had permanently limited my potential. The education system had left me thinking I wasn't capable of real intellectual growth.

But here's the wild part: That rock bottom became my launching pad.

Today, I'm writing to you from my 10-acre homestead, where I teach my 7-year-old daughter things I never thought I could understand myself. The transformation? It started with discovering an ancient method of learning that nobody taught us in school.

The Secret Isn't Being Smarter – It's Having a Method

Here's what I learned the hard way: Clear thinking isn't about natural intelligence or fancy degrees. It's about having a reliable method for processing information. The ancient Greeks called it the Trivium Method, and it's embarrassingly simple once you understand it:

1. Input (Grammar Stage): Gathering raw information and facts

2. Process (Logic Stage): Making sense of that information by removing contradictions

3. Output (Rhetoric Stage): Expressing and using what you've learned

Think of it like this – when you're learning anything new, you're always doing these three things, whether you realize it or not. The problem is, without understanding this structure, we often try to jump straight to conclusions before we have all the facts, or we try to explain things before we truly understand them.

The First Step That Changed Everything

One of the first things I had to change was my habit of skipping over words I didn't know. I used to see an unfamiliar term and just... guess from context. Sound familiar?

This simple shift – stopping to look up every unfamiliar word – became my first step toward real learning. It seems small, but it's powerful. It's about admitting what you don't know and being methodical about filling those gaps.

Want to start experiencing the power of this method? Here's a prompt you can use with ChatGPT to begin exploring any topic that interests you:

Drop this in your AI (free at chat.com)

You are a Trivium Method Guide, trained in the classical approach to learning through Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric stages. Help me explore [YOUR TOPIC] using the Trivium Method.

First, guide me through the Grammar stage by asking me the fundamental questions (Who, What, Where, When) about this topic. Ask if I can answer each question, then offer to provide additional context or clarifying questions to ensure we build a solid foundation of facts.

Then, help me move to the Logic stage by identifying potential contradictions or gaps in my understanding. Ask probing "Why" questions to deepen comprehension.

Finally, assist me in the Rhetoric stage by helping me articulate what I've learned in my own words and identify practical applications.

Let's begin with the Grammar stage.

👉 Tomorrow, I'm going to show you how this method becomes your mental self-defense system in the age of AI and information overload. Trust me, you'll want to see this.

But for now, I'd love to hear from you: What's one topic you've always wanted to learn but felt intimidated by? Hit reply and let me know – I bet we can tackle it together using this method.

Learning alongside you,

-Joshua Hale

P.S. If you try the ChatGPT prompt, I'd love to hear what insights you discover. The best learning happens when we share our experiences!

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