We are in an age of information overload. 24/7 news channels, social media, podcasts, websites, etc. Our attention span shortens. But at the same time, it is the prize for which all media companies compete. You are already aware of that.
I admit that I consume more information than I should. And to some extent, I consider acquiring knowledge as entertainment. But I also want this knowledge to be put to practice. Therefore I will use this essay to describe a more efficient way to consume information for knowledge acquisition. And by efficient I mean maximazing the output (actionable knowledge) while maintaining an input level (quantity of content consumed) which is sustainable and enjoyable.
Old but gold
Let’s start with this quote from D. Sivers: “If [more] information was the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.”.
Indeed, all the people I admire, had less information available about everything than we do. Nevertheless, they managed to make it. There are two things we can get from that:
- Most of what we consume is noise, with zero value.
- The meaningful pieces of information, if they exist, were already available years, decades and centuries ago.
The “new” seems more interesting because it comes with a better marketing than the old, the tried and tested. But standing the test of time is the ultimate validation.
It has 2 simple applications:
- Favour the ‘old’ knowledge, the fundamentals when learning
- Space your sampling of information in time
Comparing two samples taken seconds away only informs us of the noise in our sampling method. Spaced sampling allows to look at the signal itself and its variations. Checking the news everyday won’t inform you better on the state of world, for instance. You will fill up your mind with useless details and most likely increase your anxiety level. On the other hand, a careful analysis of the main events which happened over a decade will yield insights.
Inventory management
My goal is to avoid merely staking information. What cannot be put to practice should be considered as entertainment, at best, or a waste of resources (inventory impossible to sell, produced ‘just in case’).
Continuing on the production metaphor, I advise the just in time: being ready to process the raw material but waiting for an order to start the production. It means knowing where and how to research a topic, as well as how to practice it, to test your understanding.
I couple that with some random discoveries: curiosity.
A different kind of law of attraction
I believe that, because of the nature of information, good ideas within a field will reach a well connected and curious individual when he/she is ready for them.
Good ideas are rare, so anyone having one will want to redistribute it to benefit from it. Those skilled at collecting information will be incentivised to do the same, so:
- Use media platforms to find individuals regularly sharing good ideas. Then bypass the noise of the platform and get the information from the source itself.
- Rely on proven curators to tell you about what you may have missed
A few concrete examples. I get most of my book recommandations from authors I like and people I consider knowledgeable in a field. I use Twitter and podcasts to discover interesting new people, before going down the rabbit hole of their work.
To be fair, I don’t expect to catch all the good ideas around. However I noticed that society rewards specific knowledge, which cannot be taught in classes or read in books. Mastering one key concept may very well be enough to succeed in business and in life. So I don’t worry too much about what I miss as long as I catch a few things and practice them.
Information overload is simply counterproductive. Here are some recommandations for myself (I am already doing some of them):
- Don’t follow the news everyday and avoid the sensational and dramatic
- Get multiple perspectives on the same topic
- Read more fundamental books than new ones
- Stay curious and go beyond surface level understanding
- Never wander around on a media site or social platform
- Learn because it genuinely interests you, not because “one day it may be useful, perhaps”