With an abundance of information and distractions vying for our attention, it can be challenging to know what truly matters. Deciding what to pay attention to is hard and often overlooked, but a crucial skill in today’s world. It requires us to be selective, and most importantly, it requires us to know what to ignore.
Curation Tips
- Read wide and reject lightly. Be open to reading anything that seems interesting, but quickly stop if it’s not interesting to you. This lets you explore many ideas in the shortest time while being selective about what you keep. Imagine you find a book on a new topic that seems interesting and start reading it. If it’s not interesting or useful after a few pages or chapters, reject it and stop reading. This lets you move on to other books without wasting time on something that’s not working for you.
- Ask yourself, “Will I still care about this in a year?” when reading an article or book. This question helps you focus on information that has long-term relevance and value (permanent knowledge) rather than getting caught up in temporary details (expiring knowledge). Do you need to read the news? Do you need updates on the latest trends and fads?
- Pay close attention when someone disagrees on a topic you’re passionate about. This provides valuable insights and helps you see things from a different perspective. If you’re passionate about environmental issues and someone disagrees with your views, listen carefully and take notes on their perspective instead of dismissing their opinion. This will help you understand their reasoning and broaden your own understanding of the issue.
- Try to remember short stories and memorable lines rather than getting bogged down in details. This will help you retain and apply the most important information. If you’re reading a book on leadership, instead of trying to remember every detail focus on memorable stories or quotes that illustrate key leadership principles. These stories and quotes are more likely to stick with you and can be more easily applied to your personal and professional life.
By being mindful of what information you choose to focus on and keep, you take control of the flood. By carefully selecting only the most relevant and valuable information, you improve your ability to process and use it effectively. This not only helps you make better decisions but also frees up mental space for creativity and innovation. So next time you’re taking notes, remember: less is often more.