The other week, I was asked to review a scientific article, providing a topic explanation all the way from high-level concepts to the latest cutting-edge research. As is often the case with these things, it became quite technical by the end, with plenty of references, footnotes, and citations crediting information gathered from elsewhere.
Outside the topic itself, the arc of the explanation was also interesting. It followed an inverted pyramid shape—starting with general, well-known concepts, before delving deeply into specific topics.
The nature of the references also changed. For high-level, established concepts, the information could easily be found in newspaper articles; for more detailed ideas, in specialist press and textbooks; and for cutting-edge research, you are wading through pre-print papers.
The Rising Cost of Knowledge
This is, of course, what you would expect. However, what struck me was how dramatically the amount of time needed to find and extract the required information increased.
The generally known and accepted information was easy to access and digest, often available for free online. By the time you get to the more complex and specific details, however, you are sifting through a large volume of documentation—much of it not specifically relevant—just to uncover that nugget of knowledge you’re looking for.
As things get more advanced, the cost of gaining knowledge rises… dramatically. This holds true for workplace best practices too.
Most of us are striving to improve our processes, become more effective, or simply more efficient. We’re looking for that edge that can make a real difference in our lives.
There is no shortage of ideas out there: newspaper articles, industry trade sites, news feeds, webinars, events, conferences, and countless opportunities for discussion.
Yet, just as in science, as you get closer to cutting-edge best practices, more time and effort are required to find those new ideas. You may need to attend an entire day of a conference to stumble across that one transformative idea or unique insight. Or meet countless people before finding that one opportunity or role you’re looking for. These discoveries may not happen immediately, perhaps on the third or fourth attempt, it’s rarely a linear process it seems.
Why Exploration Matters
Especially when we are under pressure, these exploratory activities can feel like a waste of time or money. You may hear comments like, “Why would I attend? Most of the information is the same,” or, “It’s too busy to fit into my diary.”
However, just as in science, the simple fact is that all these activities increase your surface area of interaction, which in turn raises the probability of finding that transformational nugget, idea, potential future sale, or indeed, a new role.
So, it may not feel like these efforts add much at first, but the probabilities add up and the act of searching is intrinsic to finding that value.
Far from being activities you can skip, these are essential if you want to access cutting-edge ideas. To avoid them is to resign yourself to thinking like everyone else, following the herd, and operate at an average level.
So, that is my resolution for 2025: to get out there and explore even more new topics, hopefully discovering fresh ideas. I’ll, of course, share what I find, and you’re more than welcome to follow along… although what would be even better is to see you there in person!
Have a great week, everyone.
[oh and if all this talk of event horizons makes you think of black holes, check out this video simulation from NASA of what you would see if you fell into one – link . Attending events is much safer btw!]
