It is well known fact that if we ask more questions we can learn something more deeply than by just trying to memorize some facts. I recently came across three questions from Jim Kwik that might just be the only questions you need to ask while learning something new. (I slightly modified them to something that makes more sense to me)
How can I use this information?
When will I use this information?
Should I use this information?
The first question is brilliant, it forces you to put the new information in something that makes sense for everyone individually, what do I know that is similar to this so I can store it in my brain and I can retrieve it later?
The second question is equally important, when will I have a chance to try and implement this knowledge, but most importantly can I implement it? If you are listening to advice from a millionaire, is it really relevant to an average employee? Would it be better to seek out something that is actually doable for someone with less resources? Is this something that I might use 10 years into the future, or is it something that I can deploy now?
The third question also relates to the second, is this information relevant to me? Is the person telling me this an authority on this topic? Do they have skin in the game? What incentives may they have? Do they have supporting evidence for this?
I believe these three questions are fundamental when we deal with any new information, and I’ll try to make it a habit to implement them from now on.