[rambl30n]

This. Although said tongue-in-cheek, is a basic principle. Once you understand the concept and the mechanics behind something, what rote learning buys you is to free cycles in the future so that you can take up the next-level task. Skipping this step is like expecting someone to play the piano just by learning how to read a music sheet and where each note is in the keyboard. You build up your muscle memory so that you're able to take on more complex pieces as you progress.