On creating
The most idea-dense sources of information:
- Old or little-known books – I have 5 books that I reread over and over again because the ideas are so good. These are where the timeless principles live, untouched by trends.
- Curated blogs, accounts, or books – Blogs like Farnam Street curate the best ideas from modern intellectuals. Accounts like
DAN KOE • If you have multiple interests, do not waste the next 2-3 years
Love the idea of curating my own sources for this
It’s difficult to explain how to find something that is high signal, because that is subjective. It’s dependent on your level of development (what’s useful for you), your audience’s level of development (what’s useful for them), and your translation from one to another.
The most basic piece of advice could be the most valuable thing in the world for... See more
The most basic piece of advice could be the most valuable thing in the world for... See more
DAN KOE • If you have multiple interests, do not waste the next 2-3 years
notice how the best speakers always have 5-10 of their best arguments or ideas top of mind. They repeat these over and over and that’s how they build influence. If you don’t have a set of those 5-10 ideas, then you won’t be as impactful as you could be. Writing a truckload of content is how you discover those ideas.
DAN KOE • If you have multiple interests, do not waste the next 2-3 years
The truth is, most people don’t care about how you got the information, but when you share it in a way that they understand, they will appreciate it.
Mini course: a beginner’s guide to creating content from scratch (even if you have multiple interests)
Something moved them, irked them, inspired them, possessed them, and then electricity shot everywhere in their brain and then—crucially—they laid fingers on keys and put that electricity inside the computer. Writing is a costly signal of caring about something. Good writing, in fact, might be a sign of pathological caring.
Adam Mastroianni • 28 Slightly Rude Notes on Writing
The Secret
Allow yourself to go down rabbit holes
A rabbit hole is not a distraction. A rabbit hole is your brain trying to tell you to pay attention to something you’re curious about. Ignore algorithmic rabbit holes.
If you see something, save something
Pay attention to what feels resonant to you. Save breadcrumbs and build a path for yourself to... See more
Allow yourself to go down rabbit holes
A rabbit hole is not a distraction. A rabbit hole is your brain trying to tell you to pay attention to something you’re curious about. Ignore algorithmic rabbit holes.
If you see something, save something
Pay attention to what feels resonant to you. Save breadcrumbs and build a path for yourself to... See more
Are.na
A question worth asking:
When there is so much on the web, it is easy to fall prey to the impression that this has been done before when you come up with an idea. When this happens, ask: ‘What is my take on this?’
When there is so much on the web, it is easy to fall prey to the impression that this has been done before when you come up with an idea. When this happens, ask: ‘What is my take on this?’
The beauty of the rabbit hole, and the warren you create by falling down it, is how it activates your curiosity to generate new, reflective pockets of information and knowledge. And the better you become at “finding,” the more portals emerge, and the farther you get from a complete sense of having found. The state of curiosity is one of abundance:... See more