64. Being Open-Minded & Working to Become

In a podcast with Tyler Cowen, Michael Nielsen said,

“Spaced repetition provides me with another way of paying attention to the world. Any general-purpose strategy you have which will cause you to pay attention to the world is incredibly valuable and so I collect things like that.”

We never know what information has the causal power we need, and so our best hope is to be open to all kinds of new information. We may be looking for ways to better ourselves in various areas like our careers and relationships but, each change requires specific knowledge, and there is no reliable strategy for gaining this knowledge. What we can do is cultivate an environment, both internally and externally, that encourages the growth of knowledge. As Kevin Kelly wisely said, “Work to become, not to acquire.”

In addition to learning from others, we must remember we can create our own insights purely with our thoughts. Kevin Kelly also said,

“The greatest rewards come from working on something that nobody has a name for. If you possibly can, work where there are no words for what you do,”

and

“Don’t create things to make money; make money so you can create things. The reward for good work is more work.”

And so while we seek out knowledge from the world one may find us tinkering in places out of sheer enjoyment following the fun. I encourage you to indulge further and form your own highly individualized relationship with knowledge creation, and since we are indulging here is one last quote from Kevin Kelly:

“Don’t be the best. Be the only.”

By adopting an open-minded approach and focusing on becoming rather than acquiring, we can cultivate a richer, more innovative, and fulfilling life. What steps can you take today to create your own unique path?