The Growth at a Glance
In just the last 30 days, Learning to Learn Well has grown from 125 subscribers to more than 530.
That means 405 people have decided to join this newsletter in a very short period of time.
Of course, seeing the number grow is encouraging. But when I look at it, I do not just see a statistic. I see more than 500 people who made a small decision to spend some of their limited time and attention here.
That means much more to me than the number itself.
What the Number Represents
I have been writing Learning to Learn Well since January 2022. For most of that time, I have continued writing, thinking about ideas that might help people learn, work, teach, and grow, and then trying to express those ideas as clearly and honestly as I can.
Sometimes I publish something I believe will be especially useful, only for it to disappear quietly into the internet.
Other times, I publish something without knowing whether it will connect with anyone, and it becomes one of the most widely read pieces I have written.
That unpredictability is part of the process.
Writing is a learning experience for me. Every newsletter teaches me something about ideas, communication, and the people on the other side of the screen.
The People Who Helped This Reach More Readers
A lot of this recent growth has happened because of all of you.
Without your restacks, shares, comments, likes, and conversations, these posts would not have reached many of the people who have subscribed over the past month.
I would still keep writing because writing is something I genuinely enjoy doing. But I would not have had the opportunity to connect with so many new readers without the support of this community.
That is why I especially want to thank Dr Sam Illingworth from Slow AI, as well as the StackHunters Chief Absurdist Officer and Pragya, for helping bring visibility to Learning to Learn Well through their restacks.
In particular, Dr. Sam shared my post about becoming self-educated in the age of AI you can read right here:
The central idea of that post was that knowledge develops through the act of articulating and connecting ideas yourself, and that AI has made this principle newly urgent because these tools can now do so much of that articulation for us.
You can read his Substack here: Dr. Sam Illingworth’s Slow AI
Dr. Sam also tagged fellow StackHunters ReBe, Jennifer Houle, and Kevin Guiney for additional visibility.
Without that support and the people who helped the post travel further, I probably would not have reached many of you who are now reading this.
The Readers Who Make This Newsletter Possible
I want to thank the people who have read every post carefully.
Thank you to those who have restacked an article or shared it with a friend. Thank you to those who have left thoughtful comments, sent me a private message, or told me how an idea connected with something you were already thinking about.
And thank you to those of you who read quietly without ever commenting.
I know that many people prefer to observe rather than participate publicly. You may not restack, comment, or send a message, but your presence still matters. You are still an important part of this community.
Learning to Learn Well is not something I simply publish into an empty space. It exists through the people who read, respond, share, and support it.
Why I Keep Writing
Whenever I sit down to write, I usually imagine one particular person reading.
It might be a teacher trying to help students think more deeply. It might be a learner trying to understand something more clearly. It might be a parent, professional, or curious person looking for a practical idea to try.
Writing for one person helps me focus on making the ideas useful.
If a post helps one person think differently, make a connection, or take a meaningful next step, then there is a good chance that other people will find value in it too.
That is what keeps me writing.
An Invitation to Keep the Conversation Going
If there is ever a post that has been especially useful to you, feel free to share or restack it.
If there is something you disagree with or even something you dislike, you are also welcome to send me a message. I know it can sometimes be difficult to offer critical feedback, but I genuinely want to know what you are thinking.
Your responses help me understand which ideas are useful, which ideas need more explanation, and where the conversation should go next.
I also want to express my appreciation to those of you who have become paid subscribers. Your support helps me continue developing resources for teachers, learners, and families.
Whether you are a free subscriber or a paid subscriber, your presence here matters to me.
Thank You for Being Here
For every 500 subscribers, I want to take a moment to recognize the people who make this newsletter possible.
So, thank you.
Thank you for reading, sharing, responding, supporting, and simply being here.
Let’s keep learning, thinking, sharing, and growing together.
Fantastic growth, on the back of fantastic work. Your journey is a reminder that good work always compounds. The more we write, the better our writing gets, the more people can find it!