Minimalism is not about living with next-to-nothing, but living only with purpose-driven material items. Basically, if a material good doesn’t serve a purpose in your day-to-day life then you don’t need that item. My rule of thumb for material consumption is asking myself my perceived purpose of an item. And then evaluating my actual perception and not being afraid of getting rid of something (sunk cost fallacy) if I don’t need it. This same rule goes for knowledge consumption.
Purpose-Driven Knowledge Consumption
Much like material goods in minimalism, I purposefully only consume knowledge which I perceive to have a purpose in my life. Although a lot of my reading helps expand my knowledge, some of it I cut loose and forget. Not all information is good information.
There is tons of information to be consumed. From blog posts to informative articles to how-to YouTube videos to books. With so much free material on the internet knowledge consumption is everywhere. With that much zero-cost information there exists a lot of bad information. Finding purpose-driven information to consume becomes the key.
Finding Quality Information
Although the consumption of knowledge is a noble goal, you don’t want to spend all of your time searching for information. Instead, you want to focus on high-quality information. Below are some places to find high-quality information:
- Through friends – I have a lot of “doers” as friends. By following what they’re up to I am able to find great information. They’ve already done the vetting process for me and I trust their perspective. A lot of my reading comes from friend recommendations, whether they know they’re giving me recommendations or not.
- Through reading – If you read a good book or blog then you’re bound to come across book recommendations. If you trust the message by an author then you are likely to trust the message of an author they recommend. This comes with a grain of salt – sometimes the author has their own motivations – but for the most part, you can trust an author’s recommendations.
- Through Google – Whenever you’re interested in a particular subject, do a quick Google search. Not only will you find high-quality content, but once you start reading the content you’re most likely going to come across other great material. It takes a little time to get good at, but asking Google is an easy path to quality information.
Remember, like purpose-driven material consumption, your knowledge consumption should have a purpose. You don’t want to consume knowledge “just because,” but instead to improve your thoughts and mind. Eventually, the high-quality information will meld together in your mind and start connecting your cranium.