How To Survive In The Information Age
We have a TON of information at our fingertips.
Some of it is true.Some of it is not.Some of it appears true but after some training, we can see it's false.Some of it isn't true or false.Some of it was once true and isn't anymore.Some of it requires a lot of time to understand.Some of it requires a lot of intelligence to understand.
Here's the punchline:
We've got a ton of "information" to filter through.The hard part isn't finding data, it's analyzing it.It's what we choose to believe.And if you haven't developed a good information filter, you'll be overwhelmed by the firehose through which it comes.What's important is constantly refreshing your version of reality based on the most up-to-date and the most ruthlessly investigated information.Else, your business becomes less useful, your expertise becomes obsolete, and the quality of your output degrades.That's right. Refreshing your version of reality.Piece of cake, right?
2 Minute Action
Here are 5 questions you can ask yourself to get closer to understanding how to improve your information filter and keep learning.
- What's something you once believed to be true but don't anymore?
- What experiences or people helped change your mind?
- When was the last time you were so surprised because you learned something new?
- What kind of people were around you when you had these experiences?
- Why were you there in the first place?
Take a look at these answers and you might see something emerge--maybe a pattern.Now that you have some insight, it's up to you to put yourself in a position where you're more likely to be lucky.
How To Be Wrong 98% of The Time And Still Be Right
The Moon Landing
The computer that directs the space shuttle to the moon does two things: inspect and adapt.
If the ship is a little off-course, it adjusts the trajectory and pushed onward. Inspect course. Adapt course.
Doesn't sound too crazy at first but it's remarkable when we realize that it's something like 98% of the journey the space shuttle is "off-course."
The Punchline
As we each walk through our days, optimizing our routines, squeezing just a little more out of daylight, looking for those hacks that will promise us disproportionately high results . . .
Keep in mind that it's not about looking like you're on course, it's about inspecting and adapting. 98% of the time, you'll be wrong, off the mark, and spending your energy re-calibrating.
That's the un-sexy part of what we do.
It's the "no pain, no gain" part.
But it's also the conscious recognition that it's normal to be 98% "off-course."
So it's not the course that's important, after all.
Being productive, then, is about inspecting progress and adapting to reality--not necessarily about pushing forward at full speed.
2 Minute Action
What things in your life might be signs that you're on the right trajectory?
If you're not sure, you may want to try asking yourself:
- What activities make you feel the most alive?
- What activities make you feel the most dead?
- What % of your time are you spending on each?
Asking yourself this will take 2 minutes and can make a profound impact on the work you seek and the life you live if done on a consistent basis.