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Dr. No #47 - 4 Steps to Learn Fast (Even Before the Coffee Cools)

Author

Manuel Deó
July 29, 2025

Hi GC Super‑Brain,

Today we are bringing you one of our favorite hacks to learn anything new.

A quick 4-stage system to learn things without wasting time, getting overwhelmed, or staying stuck in “research mode.

1.- Food‑for‑thought question

Are you trying to be an expert at everything you try?

When was the last time you honestly identified what’s worth pursuing and what’s not?

(Don’t rush the answer; it tells you where your focus is.)

2.- Minute Big Idea: Tiago Forte’s 4‑Stage Learning System

This is one of the best articles about learning Rosa and I have ever read.

It’s by Tiago Forte, the author of Building a Second Brain.

Stage

Why it matters for a GC

Quick wins & team questions

1. Immerse

Flood your brain with the best voices in leadership, AI, and strategy. Early exposure sparks pattern‑recognition that training budgets can’t buy.

• Replace 20 % of your Instagram scroll with legal‑tech feeds.
• Ask the team: “Which three newsletters shape tomorrow’s risk playbook?”

2. Build Fast

Skip “tutorial hell.” Launch a micro‑project (e.g., 20‑day NDA‑triage bot). Imperfect → insight → iteration.

• Pick a task costing €100k a quarter.
• Challenge: “Prototype by next month or drop it.”

3. Find Mentors

One proven operator beats 20 thought‑leaders. Copy their blueprint, then tweak.

• Identify a GC who cut outside‑counsel spend 15 %.
• Ask: “Can we try their playbook for 30 days?”

4. Connect

Learning sticks when you teach it. Turn “Legal” into an influencer—share wins, flops, and templates.

• Run a monthly ‘Legal Show‑and‑Tell.’
• Prompt: “What can we teach Finance this month?”

 

 Key takeaway: Learning is not endless research; it is rapid experiments that either scale or die quickly.

3.- Mental Model: “Castle‑First, Moat‑Second”

Munger loves moats; Buffett buys them. Flip it: design the castle (core Legal & Business values) first; let the moat (repeatable processes) form around it. In practice: clarify how legal drives revenue before perfecting policy templates. Defend less, build more.

4.- AI Booster: Ivo for Microsoft Word

Turn complex contract reviews into confident, lightning-fast processes, with AI that scales legal expertise without compromising standards.. Ivo lives inside Word and can:

  • Rewrite long clauses into plain English

  • Build custom checklists for any contract type

  • Summarise a 50‑page agreement in one page

  • Flag risky sections before you hit Send

The result: faster negotiations and fewer late‑night redlines.

5.- Cool quote.

“We are what we repeatedly start. Excellence, then, is a series of first drafts.”
— A. L. Kennedy

What’s Ambar?

Ambar is a global platform that links elite independent lawyers with leading companies, giving GCs instant access to top‑tier, on‑demand talent—no long recruitment cycles, no overhead. Recognised by Chambers Global for innovation and scale, it turns headcount headaches into flexible firepower.

Thanks for reading. If today’s note sparks an idea—or a friendly debate—just hit reply.

Stay bold,

Rosa & Manuel