Knowledge is not power, it is potential power.
Keep this principle front and center as you embark on any learning journey. A common pitfall for those inclined towards learning is to mistake the activity of recording information for productive work.
Collecting knowledge should not be an end onto itself. It’s often the first part of a creative process or endeavor, but never the final goal.
Learning should be tied to a purpose that you can act on.
This orientation not only helps you to learn better, it also provides more motivation for the process.
Applied learning is effective because you experience the tangible value from what you’re learning immediately, through the project or activity you’re engaged in.
Consider the difference between the student who studies a language for a grade, and the expat picking up the local dialect to live and socialize in the country they reside in. The latter is learning to improve their quality of life, and will likely benefit from greater satisfaction in doing so.
A tactical way to put this principle this into practice is to routinely ask: How can I use this knowledge to help me in my current goals?*
Remember - it’s not about what you know, it’s about what you do with what you know.
Use what you learn to decide and act.