This is a somewhat rhetorical question, but it’s a good one to ponder. The short answer is “Probably more than you think…”
Some important variables to factor in here might include:
- How motivated are you to learn this information?
- What is your general level of intelligence?
- How interesting do you find the subject you are learning?
- What is your reason for learning this material?
- Do you think it’s possible to learn this information quickly?
- Are you simply memorizing or are you learning underlying concepts?
If I had to pick the most important factor it would undoubtedly be #1. Motivation trumps everything.
However, because I put a timeframe in the original question (quickly), of course #2 is going to be pretty important.
But, all things considered, the one who wants it the most wins…