I expect the "not too persistent average person" would make zero progress, as my experience is that the average person learns very little unless forced to do so

I expect the "not too persistent average person" would make zero progress, as my experience is that the average person learns very little unless forced to do so. For SICP, I read through the year after finishing my undergraduate Computer Engineering degree. I had a decent background, but a lot of the concepts in SICP were new. I loved the book and got through it in a few months of train rides, doing most of the exercises in my head. I feel that was sufficient for me, but I also don't think I'm in any way the "average person" when it comes to this domain.