I was recently at my friend?s apartment and we starting speaking about electrical engineering and physics. My friend is a physicist and electrical engineer and is currently finishing up his degree at one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. From time to time I enjoy talking to him about technology and various engineering topics. I?m always trying to convince him to get into the computer chip section of the industry, but he has his mind set on power-plants, which is cool with me.
Now I am no engineer, nothing of the sorts. So how come I am able to talk to my friend about engineering? Well, simply because I like to read about engineering every once in a while. I like learning about different subjects, not only about the ones that relate directly to my own business. I let my mind experience new things which allows me to think on new planes. Knowing a bit about everything turns you into a connector of knowledge; you now can connect to a wide variety of people who know many different areas of knowledge.
As an entrepreneur you should definitely know a lot about your business and the subjects that surround your business (that is a must), but you should also know a bit about a lot of subjects. The entrepreneur?s mind should never be limited to only knowledge of his or her business?it should be filled with bits of information of non-related areas of knowledge. Your mind should act like a sponge and absorb everything that it comes across.
There is really no excuse nowadays when we all have access to our school libraries, the internet, and even educational television. We should all take advantage of the free information that is so readily available to us.
Not only does having a ton of information in your head allow you to become more creative and innovative, but it?ll turn you into a powerful conversationalist. If you can converse powerfully then you can network powerfully. Being able to speak on an eclectic variety of subjects allows you to make connections with more and more people from all walks of life (I love that clich?), which equals long lasting relationships and potential business opportunities in the future.
Be smart. Study up. Listen up. Really turn your mind into an aggregator of information and mentally file everything that you can learn from books, television, smart people, friends, etc? If I come across someone who knows a lot about a subject, I immediately try and sit down with that person to pick his brain. It can be on the most random things.
A few months ago I remember talking to this young doctor about hernia operations (I actually had one of those 2 years ago). He had a blast explaining to me the seven different forms of the operation and how certain hernias were more dangerous than others. Hernias had nothing to do with my business of course, but that?s not what?s it all about; it?s about building relationships with people and simply becoming a smarter ? more worldly ? person in life.
Who knows, in a year from now I may be talking with a potential client who also had a hernia operation and just like that, we have a connection now. Now the deal is set and the partnership is established and it all started from a random conversation about hernias.
If you want to change the world, then you have to learn the world. You have to learn all that you can whenever you can. If you?re ever bored, then you?re wasting your time here. There?s too much information in existence to ever become bored.
Follow the ?know a bit about everything? rule and watch new relationships form and new ideas appear.
Read all my business articles at: www.cashcampus.com/ftt
David Askaripour
http://www.cashcampus.com/ftt
