The "2-Minute Rule" Google rule for learning

When I'm reading a book, like a book on investing I read last night, I often come across terms I don't know.

For example, last night I highlighted "backdoor IRA conversion" "529 account" and a few other terms I didn't know.

It's normal in reading a blog or book to keep moving past something you don't understand.  In a conversation, maybe we don't want to look stupid and in a book, we just want to keep going.

Any time I come across something I don't know, the first thing I do is Google it. Or at least take a note to Google or Youtube it later.

This rapidly progresses your understanding of what you don't know.

Whereas most media is consumed to continue to prove to ourselves what we do know.

There is a giant frontier of learning available to you if you can pay attention to your life and simply look up anything you don't know.

This includes questions like...

• When did...?
• Why does...?
• Origins/Who started...?
• What is the purpose of...?
• How does ____ work?

For example, I had come across news recently about how Bitcoin mining positively supports the energy grid in Texas. I have heard about this many times before, but I wasn't sure technically how Bitcoin mining equipment helped support the electrical grid to prevent power outages like the rolling blackouts seen in previous years. So, I found a 5 min Youtube video explaining it. Then I keep a note of what I learned in my Apple notes.

The GTD crowd has a rule: If something takes 2-minutes on your to-do list, you should do it now.

Well, I have a new rule, which is if something can take 2-minutes to Google, you should learn it now.

Have an amazing day,

xx David