Can You Tell The Time?

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Dear friend and subscriber,

Let me ask you something:

Can you tell the time?

You might be thinking, "What kind of question is that?"

Well, consider this:

This principle, known as Segal’s Law, offers a valuable lesson in achieving the life we want.

Think about that quote for a moment, then let me ask again...

Can you truly tell the time?

We Live In An Age Of Information Overload.

Nearly all the information we could ever want is at our fingertips—much of it for free.

Technology and the Creator Economy help us get access to endless knowledge.

• Google.

• YouTube.

• ChatGPT.

• You name it.

But this is a double-edged sword.

On one side, it allows us to learn, create, and solve problems like never before.

• Want to start a business? You can find almost every resource you need online.

• Want to develop a new skill? A quick search will lead you to tutorials, courses, and more.

• Want to solve a problem? You can most likely find a solution to your problem online…

• You get the point.

It’s helpful, it’s easy, it’s cheap, whatever…

But on the flip side…

There is so much f*cking information.

Too much at times.

So much that it can paralyze us.

We get stuck thinking, “I just need to learn a little bit more before I start,” or “I need to be fully prepared before taking action.”

Sometimes, we keep consuming instead of taking action because consuming somehow “feels productive”.

You might think: “But I want to execute properly, and to do that, I need more information.”

And you’re right.

It’s true that knowledge is important, but constantly seeking more information can actually hold us back.

Ignorance Creates Progress.

Let me ask you this:

Who do you think makes more progress?

The “smart” person who overanalyzes everything and rarely acts…

Or the “stupid” person who takes action relentlessly, learning from mistakes along the way?

Nine times out of ten, the person who acts, even with limited knowledge, will make more progress.

This brings us back to Segal’s Law:

Ironically, Segal’s Law is about not relying on just one source.

It says that the man with one watch is ignorant. That man doesn’t really know the time because he has no ability to double-check it with another source.

However,

Segal’s Law is often used to illustrate that too much information can lead to problems.

That’s how I want you to look at it for now.

The best way to learn is through experience.

Let’s say you want to start a business…

There are a million different YouTube videos out there with “the best business models” and “the best strategies”. But if you don’t act on the information and use it…

…the information worthless.

You can watch all the tutorials and do a bunch of research…

But it will leave you even more confused. More unsure of what the best next step is.

You’ll have too much to choose from. What advice should you follow?

“What if this strategy is better than that strategy?”

“But what if this thing doesn’t work out? I just read something that suggests I do it like that?”

“Oh man, what if this business model isn’t the best after all?”

“Maybe I should completely change my strategy and do this business model instead.”

One thought leads to the next, and pretty soon, you’re overwhelmed and stuck in a cycle of overthinking without taking action.

In the end, you’ll only know what works by trying.

We Learn Best By Experience.

Not only does consuming too much information paralyze you, but you’re also unlikely to remember most of it.

You won’t truly “learn” it.

Why?

Because you have no use for that information.

And if the brain thinks that there is no use for the information, it doesn’t get properly stored.

Picture this:

You want to learn how to use Photoshop. (a popular Photo editing software)

You can go on YouTube and watch tutorials on the software…

…all the different buttons, features, tools, and plug-ins.

But after you “learn” all of that and you finally start your own project…

…you’re going to watch tutorials again.

Why?

Well…

First off, you won’t remember everything from the tutorials.

And second, you will encounter specific problems. And specific problems require specific knowledge.

The best thing you can do is just start a project, play around with the software, and as you encounter problems…

…only then do you look for the information to solve it.

This does 2 things:

1. It makes you take action. (Instead of mental masturbation)

2. You will remember what you learn because the information is useful to you.

This goes for everything in life. Not just learning software.

Action is what creates progress.
Action is what builds experience.

And from experience, you learn and make better judgments.

Action Cures All.

Let’s circle back.

While living in the information age is incredibly useful, it can often prevent us from taking action.

And it is through action that we truly learn and make progress.

So, when you're feeling unsure about your next step or overwhelmed by too much information, just ask yourself:

Can you tell the time?

And if you feel like a man with a thousand watches…

…just follow your intuition and make a decision.

Take action.

You can always adjust your approach as you go. But gathering more information often just delays the inevitable.

That’s it for today’s letter.

As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you found this helpful.

Your #1 fan,

-Elevate Start

P.S. If you enjoyed this letter, consider supporting my sponsor. Thanks in advance!👇

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