Charlie Munger has said that when you know a little about a lot of different things, you can avoid being a “one-legged man in an ass kicking contest”.

I think he’s right.

I’ve been following this philosophy for years and I’ve seen how people can be totally oblivious to things that should seem obvious to them (myself included). I think to myself, “if only they would read some books and learn from the knowledge others have accumulated.” (And if only I had started sooner.)

You don’t realize how valuable this is (learning widely) until you’ve done it. It’s also frustrating at times, because some of the things you’ll learn you’ll have to repeat over and over to other people, and they still might not get it.

You might even start questioning yourself and wonder if you’ve been led astray.

But that’s okay, because it causes you to re-examine the facts. And if you’re wrong, you’ll likely realize it eventually, because of your willingness to question yourself and your sources.