Choosing what to focus on is a difficult and often overlooked negative skill. Francis Crick once said that his secret to winning the Nobel Prize was knowing what to ignore. Einstein’s talent was to look at a vast array of experiments, select the essential ones, and ignore the rest to build a theory on the right ones.
One helpful reading strategy is to use a wide funnel and tight filter, be willing to read anything that looks interesting and quickly abandon things that are not. It is essential to be selective about what enters your mind and separate permanent knowledge from expiring knowledge. Memorizing stories and highlighting facts are more effective than trying to remember all the details of a book.
Pay close attention when someone you admire disagrees with you on a topic you’re passionate about. Darwin’s great skill was extreme objectivity, frequently trying to disconfirm his ideas. To disconfirm your ideas, pay attention to those who disagree with you and try to open your mind to viewpoints you disagree with.
In today’s digital age, deciding what to pay attention to can be difficult, as there is a constant influx of information from various sources. Francis Crick and Albert Einstein both attributed their success to their ability to ignore irrelevant information and focus on what was important. It’s important to recognize that there are two types of knowledge – expiring and permanent. Expiring knowledge, such as news and politics, should be filtered out in favor of permanent knowledge, which are principles and frameworks that help make sense of the expiring information.
When reading, it’s helpful to ask oneself whether the information being consumed will be relevant in the future. To gain the most value from reading and retain the information, focus on memorizing stories and highlighting key points while ignoring unnecessary details. Lastly, one should pay attention when someone they admire disagrees with them on a topic, as this can provide valuable insight and potentially even change their perspective.