Prospecting For Knowledge
Trying to get smarter is an exhausting process.
It is a constant search for new information to broaden your horizons. And at times it feels as if you are not getting any better. There are periods where it feels like we are digging and digging, but keep coming up empty-handed.
That is the life of a knowledge prospector.
A prospector is someone who searches for gold, oil, or other valuable substances on or under the surface of the Earth. We look for knowledge.
Prospecting is not an easy job. We go through dry spells. We go through painful periods where we feel stuck. But, what separates the great prospectors is an unrelenting drive to continue searching. To come up empty-handed and go back to the drawing board, rather than throwing in the towel.
What makes the game of prospecting difficult is that there is no scoreboard.
There is no objective way to keep track of the value being accrued by your prospecting. On top of this, it is tough to have a defined target for what you are prospecting for. When you are a gold prospector you are looking for gold. When you are an oil prospector you are looking for oil. When you are a knowledge prospector you are looking for something far more elusive and far more valuable, but it isn’t one particular thing.
Why should you become a knowledge prospector?
There are many reasons to become a knowledge prospector. And certain reasons resonate with certain people. Here are 3 reasons.
It makes your life better. Right now there are 1000s of books that if you picked up would objectively improve your life. The difference between an unfulfilled life and a fulfilled life is sometimes only one book away. People tend to severely underestimate the impact a single book can have on your life.
Knowledge gives us the ability to better understand the world we live around us. Knowledge is the color that makes our life more exciting. When we begin to understand how things function, why people act the way they do, or how we can better master our own internal dialogue it shows the true beauty of the universe that we live in. It is almost as if the curtain gets drawn back and we get to see the mechanical underpinnings of the puppet show we are a part of.
The most tantalizing part about knowledge prospecting is the understanding that one single piece of information could be the difference between success or failure. One aha moment could be the thing that catapults you above the plateau you are stuck. That one extra page pushes you just past the threshold of making it. The one extra swing of the pickaxe that gets you to the most valuable vein.
Where should you begin your search for knowledge?
Before you begin, you must understand the direction you are headed. The beauty of prospecting is that it is entirely up to you what you search for. There may be something you are incredibly curious about that others could care less about. Who cares. Knowledge prospecting is something you do for yourself, so it is irrelevant what others think. This is your chance to follow your interests.
There are many different mediums for prospecting. However, the most tried and true is books. Books are special for a few reasons. The process of writing a book requires the author to write their thoughts, refine their thoughts, refine them some more, restart the book, refine the ideas again, and then hire an editor to refine them even further. What you are left with (most of the time) is a very deep, well-thought-out book. Plus, great books do not expire. Great books are applicable no matter when they were written.
Be a leaf in the wind. The greatest prospectors are those that are fluid. Those that are curious and willing to learn no matter what it is. Take the case of Richard Feynman. He is someone who is skilled in a variety of verticals due to the way he has approached knowledge prospecting. He lets his curiosity take the wheel, which has led to some of his most significant accomplishments.
The keys to the machine that moves the world forward are locked inside of us, it is our duty to find them.