Specialized Knowledge

In order to succeed, you must utilise knowledge. But this does not mean learning the capital cities of the world. This would be foolish, and not useful.

Knowledge must be specialised. It must be focussed on the area that you wish to excel in, and most of all, it must be practical. Theory and trivia do not help.

But what of the person who does not have knowledge. No problem. The knowledge doesnt need to be yours. As long as you know where to get it, its as good as yours.

Specialized Knowledge

Part of this chapter talks about the value of ideas. Ideas are the key to our future. Everything that we create in this world, begins in thought, as an idea. You will only improve your life, to the extent that you come up with or find new ideas, for how to do things differently.

There are many sources of new ideas. I think, one of the best is using the minds of others. Getting the thoughts of others, be it through a brainstorming session with your mastermind group or even just casual conversation with someone at a party, may give you an idea, that sets you off on a new career path, a new pastime or a new strategy for achieving success. Its that simple. And I've seen it happen so often and had it happen to me so often, that I am convinced this is true.

You need to maximise the chance of getting these inspirations, by making a resolution to increase the number of people you talk to, and concentrate on topics which can result in great ideas. Most people tend to talk about the latest tragedy or bad news that they read in the paper or saw on the evening news. This isn't the key to progress. What you pay attention to grows. If you focus on success and achievement, it will increase in your life.

Networking groups, either in your field, or of a generic business nature, are an ideal environment to get new ideas. These groups tend to attract highly motivated, innovative and successful people. These are the kinds of people you want to be around.

Specialized Knowledge

This chapter talks about the two types of knowledge, general and specialized, and obviously (given the title of the chapter) emphasises that specialized is better than general knowledge. A comforting thought to all of us who aren't very good at trivial pursuits.

Specialized knowledge involves playing to your strengths. It involves identifying an area of knowledge or skill, which you can use to your advantage. And the key word is "use":

"Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action, and directed to a definite end."

But the reassuring point about knowledge that this chapter makes is that you don't necessarily need to spend the rest of your life in a library or the inside of a university lecture hall to get knowledge. In fact, you don't need to have the knowledge in your own mind. You just need to have access to the knowledge. Henry Ford had an office with a row of "electric push-buttons" to summon to his aid any man who had the knowledge he was seeking. Today we call this a cell phone, but the message is the same. As long as you know where and how to find the knowledge it is as good as cramming it into your mind.