Malcom Gladwell suggests it takes 10 000 hours of practice to excel in any field. If so, what happens if you only invest a few minutes in getting to know a subject before you move on to the next? Well, you don´t end up being Mozart.
A modern paraphrase of Descartes would be “I share, therefore I am“. To seem knowledgable to others, you need to share your knowledge. And sharing has never been easier. In fact is has become so simple to share that it’s becoming a substitute for true knowledge. We share so many of our 5-minutes insights that it seems we almost know everything. Which we don´t, because true understanding takes time. Perhaps even 10000 hours if it’s a really tricky subject.
A social-online-mobile-world can lead to fragmentation, lack of reflection and the persuasive approach that comes with only scratching the surface of something that is much more complex if you really dig into it.
And how do we achieve true knowledge? Well, focus, time for thought and an open mind should be essential. The opposite of the above, that is.
So, why not turn off the phone, read a book and have a long walk to think it through. In the social-online-mobile-world you will cease to exist for a while. But it might be a risk worth taking for your long term success.
Cogito ergo sum.
Andreas Franson, andreas[@]internetintelligence.se, +46 733 56 41 51
