Everyone’s saying to read, which I definitely enjoy. But I’d say the best way to increase your general knowledge is to talk with people, many different kinds of people. And by “talk,” I mostly mean “listen.”
I can think of at least three reasons for this:
- You learn things you wouldn’t otherwise explore but (and this is key) that are important to other people.
- You learn about human behavior and incentives, which helps you piece together other bits of knowledge.
- Since you’re not bogged down in facts but instead hearing stories with examples and experiences, you remember more.
Next time you read something interesting, see if you can track down the author and get a conversation going, even via email. Or visit a university and interview some professors. Or chat it up with someone alone at the next table. Or friend new people on Facebook.
Or leave a comment to start a conversation on a blog. :>)
