3 ms·

Read books - that's really the only consistent way that I know of and which I always recommend to others, especially to young people. Aim to read one book a wee

Read books - that's really the only consistent way that I know of and which I always recommend to others, especially to young people. Aim to read one book a week - that'd be 500 books in 10 years. Stay away from absorbing information through internet/screen - they tend to be shallow even when they are correct. Eventually you'll read a book that you agree with a lot and come out with an opinion on a topic. Later down the road, you'll read another book with a very different take on the same topic which also is very plausible and will have to try to consolidate the different interpretations of things. When you begin to appreciate how nuanced and complex even the most seemingly simple things are, I think that's when you'll know you're on the right path.

_carbyau_ 4y ago
There are multiple aspects but this is one aspect I see not being put into practice much. For almost every topic there are nuances/exceptions/gotchas/angles and they apply as much to the person communicating to you on the topic as much as the topic itself. Details. So many details. Seek them out because the nuances always exist and they shape how you take what people say.
wjnc 4y ago
I’d add that reading strategy matters a lot as well. When I read critically I usually do a few passes over the text. Before I start reading I make a list of what to Expect in a text. Then a quick pass to see if what I expect is there, and to add what’s extra. Then a concentrated read writing down questions. Then a phase to cross away the questions answered elsewhere. The remaining questions I can ask, or use as the basis for a written response. This works for papers, documentation and chapters and a bit less for whole books. I think this is a strategy I learned in high school, but never really used until the time the quality of my teams output started to depend on the way we share feedback. Google suggests this is the three phases of reading model. Try it out. It will make you gain clarity in understanding and giving feedback.

_carbyau_ 4y ago

There are multiple aspects but this is one aspect I see not being put into practice much. For almost every topic there are nuances/exceptions/gotchas/angles and they apply as much to the person communicating to you on the topic as much as the topic itself. Details. So many details. Seek them out because the nuances always exist and they shape how you take what people say.

wjnc 4y ago

I’d add that reading strategy matters a lot as well. When I read critically I usually do a few passes over the text. Before I start reading I make a list of what to Expect in a text. Then a quick pass to see if what I expect is there, and to add what’s extra. Then a concentrated read writing down questions. Then a phase to cross away the questions answered elsewhere. The remaining questions I can ask, or use as the basis for a written response. This works for papers, documentation and chapters and a bit less for whole books. I think this is a strategy I learned in high school, but never really used until the time the quality of my teams output started to depend on the way we share feedback. Google suggests this is the three phases of reading model. Try it out. It will make you gain clarity in understanding and giving feedback.