What Is the 90-20-5 Rule for Adult Learning?

If you’ve ever spent hours studying only to forget half of it by next week, you’re not alone. Most adults struggle with keeping what they learn - not because they’re not smart, but because most learning methods are built for classrooms, not real life. The 90-20-5 rule is a simple, research-backed framework that fixes this. It’s not magic. It’s just how the brain actually works when you’re learning as an adult.

What the 90-20-5 Rule Actually Means

The 90-20-5 rule breaks down adult learning into three clear phases:

• 90% of learning happens through doing - not reading or watching.
• 20% comes from talking about it with others - explaining, asking questions, debating.
• 5% is from formal instruction - lectures, textbooks, videos.

This isn’t just a theory. It’s based on the Learning Pyramid model developed by the National Training Laboratories in the 1960s and later confirmed by neuroscience studies on adult memory. When you learn by doing, your brain forms stronger neural connections. It’s the same reason you remember how to ride a bike after 20 years, but forget the name of your third-grade teacher.

Most adult learners reverse this. They spend 80% of their time watching videos or reading PDFs, then wonder why they can’t apply what they learned. The 90-20-5 rule flips that. It says: if you want to actually use what you learn, you need to get your hands dirty first.

Why Traditional Learning Fails Adults

Adults don’t learn like teenagers. You’re not sitting in a classroom waiting for the bell. You’ve got a job, kids, bills, and a tired brain at the end of the day. Traditional education assumes you have time to sit still, take notes, and memorize. But your brain doesn’t work that way when you’re juggling real life.

Studies from the University of California show that adults retain only 10% of information from passive learning after 72 hours. That’s why so many online courses get abandoned. People sign up, watch the first three videos, and then never open the platform again. It’s not laziness. It’s biology.

The 90-20-5 rule works because it matches how your brain is wired to learn as an adult:

• Your brain prioritizes what’s immediately useful.
• It remembers stories and experiences better than facts.
• It locks in knowledge when you have to explain it to someone else.

Think about learning to cook. You don’t memorize a recipe and then cook perfectly on the first try. You watch a video (5%), read a few tips (5%), then you try it. You burn the sauce. You fix it. You ask your partner what they think. You try again. That’s 90-20-5 in action.

How to Apply the 90-20-5 Rule in Real Life

Here’s how to use this rule whether you’re learning a new skill, studying for a certification, or just trying to get better at your job.

Step 1: Start With Action (90%)

Don’t wait until you feel ready. Start doing. Even if you’re just guessing.

• Learning Excel? Open a blank spreadsheet and type something. Don’t watch a 30-minute tutorial first.
• Learning Spanish? Say one sentence out loud in front of a mirror. Use Google Translate to check it.
• Learning project management? Try organizing your next family trip like a project. List tasks, assign "team members," set deadlines.

Doing forces your brain to ask questions. And questions lead to deeper learning.

Step 2: Talk About It (20%)

After you’ve tried something, explain it to someone. Doesn’t matter if they know anything about it.

• Text a friend: "Hey, I just tried this thing called pivot tables. Here’s what I think it does..."
• Join a local meetup or online forum. Post your first attempt. Ask for feedback.
• Teach it to a child, a pet, or even your plant. If you can explain it simply, you understand it.

This step is where most people skip. But it’s the secret sauce. When you explain something, your brain has to organize the information. That’s when it moves from short-term memory to long-term storage.

Step 3: Use Formal Resources Sparingly (5%)

Only go back to videos, books, or courses when you hit a wall. Don’t use them to start.

For example:

• You tried coding a simple website. It broke. Now you Google "why does my CSS not align?" - that’s 5%.
• You’re learning budgeting. You tried tracking your spending for a week. Now you read one article on the 50/30/20 rule - that’s 5%.

Think of formal resources as your emergency toolkit. You don’t build a house by reading the manual first. You build it, then check the manual when something falls apart.

Real Examples of the 90-20-5 Rule in Action

Here’s how this works for real people:

• Marie, 42, switched careers to data analysis. She didn’t take a course first. She downloaded a free dataset from Kaggle and started playing with it in Excel. After two weeks of trial and error, she joined a Reddit group and asked for help. She watched one YouTube video to fix a pivot table error. Three months later, she got her first freelance gig.
• James, 58, wanted to learn photography. He bought a used camera. Took 50 photos of his garden. Posted them on a Facebook group. Got feedback. Watched one 10-minute video on aperture. Took 100 more photos. Now he runs a small Instagram page.
• Lena, 35, is studying for her nursing license. She reads one page of her textbook, then explains the concept to her roommate. Then she draws a diagram. Then she teaches it to her 8-year-old. She only watches lecture videos when she’s stuck on a specific term.

These people didn’t have more time. They just learned smarter.

What Not to Do

Many adults try to follow the 90-20-5 rule but still fail. Here’s why:

• Doing without reflection - Just doing something isn’t enough. You need to ask: What worked? What didn’t? Why?
• Talking without context - Saying "I learned Excel" to your coworker doesn’t count. You need to explain what you did and what you struggled with.
• Over-relying on videos - Watching a 2-hour course on "How to Meditate" won’t make you meditate. You have to sit down and try it.

The rule isn’t about the percentages - it’s about the order. If you start with formal learning, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Why This Works for Adults, Not Kids

Children learn through repetition and structure. They’re told what to do, and they follow. Adults need purpose. We want to know: "Why does this matter?" and "How will this help me?"

The 90-20-5 rule answers those questions before you even start. You begin with action - so you immediately see the relevance. You talk about it - so you clarify your purpose. You use resources only when you need them - so you avoid information overload.

It’s not about how much you learn. It’s about how much you keep.

Getting Started Today

You don’t need a plan. You don’t need a course. You just need to start doing something - anything - related to what you want to learn.

Here’s your 5-minute starter:

1. Think of one skill you’ve been meaning to learn - maybe budgeting, public speaking, or coding.
2. Do one small thing right now: open an app, write one sentence, try one tool.
3. Text someone: "I just tried [thing]. Here’s what happened."
4. Wait for a response. Use that feedback to guide your next step.

That’s the 90-20-5 rule in action. No books. No lectures. Just doing, talking, and learning as you go.

Adult learning isn’t about memorizing. It’s about becoming someone who can do something new. And that starts with your hands, not your head.