When you finally get it, remember how it felt not to. That’s how you become good at helping the next person.

Understanding something tends to erase the memory of not understanding it, and once that memory has gone you become a worse explainer, because the hard part now looks obvious. Holding on to the confusion deliberately, while it is still fresh, is what lets you tell somebody else which step actually hurts. It keeps you patient too, since you remember how long it took you.

Right after something clicks, write down what you were getting wrong and what finally fixed it. Keep the note. When somebody asks you later, start from the confusion rather than the answer.