7 Spiritual Principles To Master The Information Age
We live in the information age, right?
But why isn’t there a meta-philosophy or toolkit that encompasses how we relate to information?
That’s the intention of this newsletter.
It’s far from comprehensive, but it’s a good framework to start cultivating “mastery of information.”
These 7 principles will help you create more freedom and fulfillment in your life, by upgrading how you relate to information.
The Problems
There are some BIG problems arising when it comes to the information age.
Distraction
Lack of focus
Short attention spans
Lack of commitment
Impaired decision making
Overwhelm
Paralysis by analysis
Stress
Anxiety
Extreme busyness
Sleep disruption
Impaired ability to relax
Trouble knowing what’s true
Shiny object syndrome
Those are just some.
We all have an intuitive sense of this sphere of problems emerging from the explosion of information we have available.
It’s not all bad of course. There are just as many benefits, if not more, especially if we develop mastery around information.
This is where the 7 principles come into play.
Principle #1: Attention
Attention is one of the primary currencies of the Information Age.
And where attention goes, energy flows.
That’s why one of the most important questions you can ask yourself every day is, “Where am I putting my attention?”
Your answer to that is where you’re directing your life.
Awareness of your attention is the foundation for thriving in the Information Age. Without this awareness, you’re essentially “lost at sea” (the Sea of Information that is).
Build your focus. Cultivate the ability to enter flow state. This is how you hone your attention, and as a result, your ability to master the Information Age.
Principle #2: Discernment
Discernment is the vision of wisdom, especially when it comes to information.
Note that discernment is different than judgment. Judgment sees everything as good or bad, which clouds and limits perception.
Discernment, however, sees the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between. It’s clear, expanded perception.
With discernment, you can entertain many perspectives without necessarily attaching to any.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
- Aristotle (supposedly)
Discernment allows you to apply different mental models and view reality through different lenses. This makes you resilient to propaganda and other forms of information warfare, which are all-too-common.
Discernment is an amazing tool to help you navigate the Information Age.
Principle #3: Creation
Everything is diet, especially information.
If you consume too much information — especially junk information — you get bloated and sick.
So don’t just consume. Create too!
This can be anything: writing, art, videos, podcasts, music, etc.
When you create, you naturally master information instead of letting information master you.
Also, creating is contributing to the New Earth Creator Economy.
Think of the New Earth Creator Economy as an emergent, decentralized global network based on people sharing their soul’s gifts.
It’s a new, upgraded paradigm starting to trickle into the collective consciousness of humanity, that YOU can be a major catalyst of.
Principle #4: Curiosity
Curiosity is the driver for learning and growth.
In the Information Age, curiosity is how you navigate through all of the noise without getting overwhelmed or indecisive.
Let curiosity guide your direction. Follow what piques your interest and ask questions to explore.
Think about it. The best education works WITH people’s natural curiosities to facilitate learning. The worst education forces things onto people and squashes their natural curiosity.
Build the habit of asking questions to stoke your curiosity and refine your direction.
When you follow your curiosity, your life purpose emerges and you evolve from survival-mode into thriving and self-actualization.
Principle #5: Space
We’re constantly bombarded with information these days.
Most people are distracted by dings, phone calls and social media 24/7.
That’s why it’s absolutely essential to create space for yourself daily.
This means blocks of time where you don’t take in any information and limit external input.
Some examples are meditation, intuitive movement, dancing, walking outside, being in nature, journaling, baths, etc.
These are all things that create “space” in your mind and allow your body to relax.
When you create space and reset, you actually build your capacity to deal with information. Think of it like resting in between sets while working out.
Creating space for yourself also allows you to stay grounded and at peace, instead of getting caught up in the madness of the world, which of course is vital to thriving.
Principle #6: Integration
This is something very few people talk about.
Learning isn’t just about consuming information. It’s about INTEGRATING information too.
There are levels to understanding something. If you’ve ever read a book twice, and understand it in a whole new way the second time, you know what I’m talking about.
So how do you integrate?
4 things:
Note-taking - Not just passively consuming information
Contemplation - Pondering for deeper insight
Journaling - Writing about it yourself for new insights
Application - Actually applying what you learn
Let’s go back to the diet analogy here. When you integrate information, you’re digesting it and using it as fuel. If you don’t integrate, you don’t digest it and you miss out on the nutrients.
Integration is what allows you to apply and embody information, instead of just having a surface-level understanding of it.
Principle #7: Patience
Patience is so underrated.
And in the busy Information Age, it’s so overlooked.
Patience is the state of the wise master.
Let’s clear the air here. Patience does NOT mean being passive or moving really slow. Don’t get it twisted.
Patience means not being attached to results, not rushing, and not letting time be your master. It’s a blend of inner peace, trust and freedom moving through (and beyond) space and time.
With patience, there’s no need to rush or cling to outcomes.
This is so important, because it’s easy to drive yourself crazy or run around chasing your tail in the Information Age.
With patience, you can calmly learn and achieve the things that matter. And in he long run, the patient person goes much further than the impatient person.
Apply The 7 Principles To Master The Information Age
Here’s a quick summary of the 7 principles and how to apply them.
Attention - Ask yourself daily, “Where am I putting my attention?”
Discernment - Practice viewing reality through as many perspectives as possible.
Creation - Create, don’t just consume.
Curiosity - Ask interesting questions and follow your curiosity.
Space - Create space for yourself to reset and recharge.
Integration - Don’t just consume information. Integrate information with note-taking, contemplation, journaling and applying.
Patience - Have a long-term mentality and don’t cling to results you can’t control.
Your Turn
I invite you to apply these principles.
Think about how you can embody and implement them today, and in your daily life.
When you do this, even a little bit, you’re going to thrive more and more in the Information Age.
Instead of falling into the current problems we’re all familiar with, you’ll create more freedom and fulfillment in your life — and help others do the same.
Much love,
Stephen Parato
PS - A big part of mastering the Information age is creation (the third principle). And what’s the epitome of information creation? A Book.
A book is your resume in the Information Age. If you’re feeling called to write a book, check out my explainer page about it here: https://bookcoaching.carrd.co/
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