Smart is the new cool. Our culture is changing and being smart is no longer seen as being nerdy and boring human being. In the age where unconventional lifestyle and remote work is reshaping the way we live, work and learn has changed significantly in the last decades, thanks to rapid development of technology and widespread Internet.
The model of life has shifted to something more creative, dynamic and uncertain. “Most millennials expect to have multiple careers in their lifetime”, writes Adam Miller in his article on Fortune. There is no formal education to this day that could adapt its curriculum to an ever-changing modern world. Millenials need to find a way to improve themselves.
The Solution is Self Learning
You can keep wasting your time watching TV, consuming cat videos and procrastinating on social media, or you can make a decision to become a learner and increase the likelihood of designing the life you want to live.
“Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.” – Bill Gates
Simply decide to become a learner, learn something new every day and become a better person than you were yesterday, last month, last year. The web has to offer more than you can imagine and most of the knowledge you can get is completely free.
Below is a compilation of 25 websites to make you smarter. Learn practically anything from art to music, math, philosophy, computer science, web design, business, languages and much more.
If you are thinking about a career in design and development industry, you may find useful a list of 30 best websites to learn design and development.
Skillshare – Skillshare is a learning community for creators. Anyone can take an online class, watch video lessons, create projects, and even teach a class themselves.
Zen Habits – Zen Habits is a blog by Leo Babauta about implementing zen habits in daily life. It’s the ultimate productivity and self-improvement blog.
Coursera – Take free online classes from 120+ top universities and educational organizations.
Gibbon – Use Gibbon to collect and share knowledge with your team or the whole world.
99U YouTube Channel – 99U is Behance’s research and education arm. In this channel, you’ll find actionable insights on productivity, organization, and leadership to make ideas happen.
Infographics – GOOD Magazine publishes insightful and educational infographics which showcase useful information and data in an easy to digest visual format.
BBC Future — Making you smarter, every day.
Duolingo – Learn languages completely free, without ads or hidden charges. It’s fun, easy, and scientifically proven. I use Duolingo to learn Spanish, French and Italian.
Lumosity – Challenge your brain with games designed by neuroscientists to exercise memory and attention.
Spreeder – Spreeder is a free online speed reading software designed to improve your reading speed and comprehension.
Youtube Education – Whether you’re doing research for a project, need help with homework, or just want to learn something new, YouTube Education features some of our most popular educational videos across YouTube.
ZURB University – An arsenal of tools and knowledge that serve as an invaluable resource to both inspire and empower designers around the world.
CreativeLive – CreativeLive empowers you to unleash your potential by bringing the world’s greatest experts directly to you, live.
University of Reddit – Free courses taught by sharing knowledge and experience. Topics range from art to computer science, languages, mathematics, music, philosophy and more.
Brain Pump – Learn something new and feed your curiosity. Learn from a vast library of entertaining videos on topics ranging from chemistry, physics and computer science, to history, economics and DIY.
Dorm Room Tycoon – Dorm Room Tycoon interviews the world’s most influential thought leaders in business, design and technology.
Mindvalley – Mindvalley is a learning experience company that publishes ideas and teachings by the best authors in personal growth, wellbeing, spirituality, productivity, mindfulness and more.
Wikiwand – Wikiwand is the world’s leading Wikipedia reader for web and mobile.
TED – TED is a nonprofit devoted to ideas worth spreading. Inspiring videos to open your mind on almost every topic.
Digital Photography School – Learn about digital photography and improve your creative and technical skills.
Platzi – Live streaming classes on design, marketing and code. Learn from industry leaders.
Khan Academy – Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more.
HighBrow – HighBrow is bite-sized email courses delivered to your inbox daily.
Quora – Quora is a question-and-answer website where questions are asked, answered, edited and organized by its community of experts.
Learnist – Learn from expertly curated web, print and video content covering tens-of-thousands of topics, ranging from niche area of academics to broad interests such as food, health, sports, and entertainment.