Ask HN: Recommendations for Spaced Repetition (SRS) Beginners?
&gt; Are there downsides to this?<p>Absolutely. Just to give an example, I was able to narrow down my personality dynamics to a set which predicted that memory-focused interests would be intriguing but risky.<p>I measured the risk as I studied for upcoming test (US amateur radio license) and the subjective intrigue factor seemed to be the worst factor by far. It compounded risk early and often. As I saw early payoffs from spaced repetition and other techniques like Roman rooms, the intrigue convinced me to up the ante again and again.<p>I had little experience with electronics or radio and nonetheless decided to study for all three license levels simultaneously.<p>I ended up having to measure my success not by progress, but by frequency of extremely negative ahem, &quot;ideations&quot;. IOW I would quit studies for the day&#x2F;week when I wanted to end it all. I had the granularity figured down to how many minutes I likely had to study before I&#x27;d have to lose a day of all other productive work due to exhaustion. But the prize was so big that I couldn&#x27;t just give up. And all of the memory techniques worked great.<p>I wasn&#x27;t able to find a hyper-objective model for this but the mixed models were good enough for me. In my case the most relevant was Jungian cognitive functions&#x27; Si-as-recall model, combined with several other perspectives from the personality dynamics world, including theories by John Beebe.<p>If you are able to do some basic research and determine whether you are an intuitive personality, that would be where I&#x27;d start to draw a big warning line. Especially if you have strengths in conceptualization, contingency planning, imagination, reading science fiction, and so on. Not only are these strengths often found in recall-deficit personality groups, but moreso the more detailed the nature of the recall. In addition, recall perception blocks intuitive perception and vice versa. So by definition the expression of your gifts can become blocked, which logically means that you are blocking your ability to create positive outcomes and energy for yourself.<p>It&#x27;s interesting stuff but please be careful and mind the subjective factors. Especially if you have any thoughts like, &quot;I learn some really interesting stuff, so if only I could retain what I learn...&quot; (I&#x27;d never be caught blanked out in a conversation, losing a debate, etc.)