Learning - Getting it vs. Not

Learning is just a strengthening of neural pathways. Why, then, do I learn some things much more easily than I learn others? Here's my hypothesis:

Learning is strengthening the neural pathway from point A to point B.

When I have difficulty learning, it's because I have to break a whole new pathway from A to B.

When I "just get it", it's because I'm only making connections between pathways that already exist. Associations are made between models I already understand, producing a "path of least resistance".

A great analogy for this is lightning. It takes the path of least resistance (not least distance).

So learning by association is a much better method than trying to break a completely new pathway into your brain.