How to get exponential phase for your learning curve?

For you guys who study microbiology, I am sure that you will come to know that bacterial growth will go through 4 phases, which are:
1) lag phase
2) exponential phase
3) stationary phase
3) death phase

For your learning curve, has anyone come accross with how to get or maintain exponential phase all the time?

I guess the best way of learning is: To throw you into a big pool full of sharks... and let you swim back alone.

I am experiencing this kind of experience now.

I am currently working in a lab with all the techniques that I never dream of using it, but it has become reality. And before I even know there is such a machine which do that technique, my personal tutor in my lab, Anh (she is a vietnamese and working as RA for my supervisor) will start telling me what to do and start delegating works for me and work independently. As if throwing me into the pool to let me swim back.

I find this experience is thrilling, and full of excitement. Of course, the risk is high, but it can be rewarding if you are careful and lucky in your work. So, I am determine to work double time to read up the theory of the technique once I start using that technique.

I am very fortunate that there is someone in the lab can guide me to kickstart my project. And I shall express my greatest gratitute to my lab tutor, Miss Anh.