We kick off this cozy catch-up episode by talking about burnout, post-wedding exhaustion, and the lingering weirdness of long-distance relationships. From there, we dive into the theme of lifelong learning—how to keep your brain sharp and your curiosity alive after formal schooling ends. Peter shares his new quarterly “learning sprint” approach inspired by David Perell’s Learn Like an Athlete, outlining his plan to spend the next three months mastering story structure before returning to novel-writing. Aubrey reflects on keeping her astrophysics skills sharp, learning more about fitness from a science-nerd angle, and her dreams of returning to piano someday. The conversation wraps with a classic Generations blend of humor and motivation as Peter shares a health study proving heavy lifting’s long-term benefits—reminding us all that it’s never too late to pick up a barbell or a new skill.
Episode Notes
Opening chat:
- Peter feels completely drained after a whirlwind of family events and hospital admin battles.
- Aubrey talks about being home alone while Hayden traveled and how long-distance “muscle memory” still hits hard.
- Both agree that post-big-life-event fatigue is real.
Topic introduction – “Lifelong Learning”:
- Peter introduces an article by David Perell, Learn Like an Athlete, found through ReadWise Reader.
- Discusses how ReadWise makes highlighting meaningful through spaced repetition and daily resurfacing of insights.
- Perell’s idea: approach learning like athletes train—using three-month learning sprints with clear focus and goals.
Peter’s Q4 learning sprint:
- Theme: Story structure and character development for novel writing.
- Goal: Build an outline and structured framework for his next book by January 1.
- Using Jessica Brody’s Writing Mastery Academy and a library of writing books from Humble Bundle and StoryBundle.
- Plans six books and six courses—may adjust as he finds his pace.
- Next quarter (Q1 2026): Learn photography fundamentals—composition, editing, and shooting with just his iPhone.
Aubrey’s learning plans:
- Wants to keep her math and physics skills sharp while applying to grad school.
- Plans to study Physics GRE problems to maintain academic sharpness.
- Considering a personal training certification—diving deeper into the science of fitness and anatomy.
- Hopes to return to piano when space allows—acknowledging how humbling it’ll be to rebuild old skill.
- Has been deep in her plant care hobby, enjoying the continuous learning it offers.
Shared reflections:
- The joy of learning freely, outside of grades and assignments.
- Using modern tools like ChatGPT and YouTube to build structured, personalized learning plans.
- Seeing learning as a lifelong habit that keeps the brain resilient.
Health segment:
- Peter shares a study featured in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Pump Club:
- Adults in their 60s who trained with heavy resistance for one year retained significant strength four years later.
- Resistance training builds long-term neuromuscular adaptations—real “muscle memory.”
- Peter and Aubrey geek out on progressive overload, structured training, and how repetition creates real growth.
- Shout-out to Arnold’s Pump Club app—even Peter’s wife is hooked!
Closing notes:
- Message of the week: Keep learning. Keep lifting. Keep showing up.
- Feedback welcome at feedback@generations.fm
