Learn from the Masters
As I have mentioned in other posts, we live in a golden age of information. Anyone with a smart phone has more information at their fingertips than world leaders did in the year 2000. As a result, information is everywhere, and this can create a situation where we are overloaded and don’t know where to turn when we need to know something.
Fortunately, there is a solution for this information overload: use the resources of the “masters”. Masters are those who are the best at doing whatever you want to do. Want to know the best way to contribute save for your retirement; a quick search of the internet will bring up the top money experts. You can even be specific and ask for retirement savings experts in your area that you can speak to.
If you need to go into more detail, you can access the top publications on the subject for articles. There are magazines and e zines for practically any subject you can think of and they are at your fingertips. The magazines usually employ the top experts in their fields, and you will have full access to all of their information in their articles.
The next level of information is a book written by a master. If you really want to dig deep on a subject, find the top book in the field and study it. The author’s best work will be in there. One of their great benefits is that books will not restrict you from learning from long deceased experts.
The pinnacle of learning is to have a master teach you everything they know on a subject. This can take the form of a tutor, coach or a group master mind. You will have one on one access to the teacher depending on the agreement you have with them.
Where do I Find the Time?
Now, I can hear you saying, “but where do I find the time to read this information or meet with a tutor??” In answer, I will tell you that the average American spends 4 hours a day watching television. They also spend 3.5 hours a day on their phones. So, my solution is to invest 1 hour of either one of those per day into reading. That is 365 hours of reading a year. That means you could read over 1400 blog posts, 700 magazine articles, 60 books or have 365 hours with of intense study with a master in a field you would like to study.
What you will begin to see is that your reading speed will grow, and your retention of ideas will increase as you read and learn more. You just need to remain teachable and open to learn. Another wonderful result is that when you keep an open mind you will be prepared for opportunities in the future.
From Hours to Years of Knowledge
A few words on the depth of knowledge you can expect from each medium. As mentioned above, as you go up the levels of information, the amount of detail and information will go up accordingly. A blog article can take 8-10 hours of research to write. A magazine article may have taken 6 months to create and a book can be anywhere from a few months to 20 years in the case of “Think and Grow Rich.” The author Napoleon Hill also interviewed 45 of the wealthiest people in the world which means you have access to them as well when you read the book. So, as you move up in time invested, you are getting the benefit of more of the author’s expertise and work in a particular subject.
In a teaching situation, you will have access to the tutor’s lifetime of information customized to your needs and goals. You will also have a fluid learning situation where you learn at your pace and as you progress, the best tutors will progress with you and make you as successful and you want to be.
Obviously, you want to spend more time in the deeper knowledge areas, but blog posts and articles can be a wealth of specific knowledge that is quickly accessible.
Use all of these resources wisely and you will have full access not only to the master’s full knowledge but that of all the people they have studied and worked with.