3 ways to get rid of old knowledge

When we talk about lifelong learning, we usually think only of the knowledge and skills that we will gain in the future. The fact that for this it will be necessary to get rid of outdated information, from unnecessary habits and views, we somehow lose sight of. And although we sometimes cannot remember where we left the keys, the process of forgetting old skills and knowledge turns out to be quite difficult.

When old knowledge interferes with the brain's ability to process new information, learning is slower and harder. Psychologists call this proactive interference.

We encounter this if, for example, we need to switch to manual control of the car after the automatic one. Or when we start learning French for work, although we learned English at school. As a result, we get some kind of "French".

In that case, we need, as scientists David Lei and John Slocum say, David Lei, John Slocum. …, deliberately discard outdated information that has become redundant. Gradually, it will be erased from memory and replaced by a new one. However, it is not always that easy.

The more revolutionary new technologies become, the more difficult it is for us to forget existing approaches to product development and old business models.

David Leigh and John Slocum

The same is true in the career area. Stubbornly adhering to outdated views, you yourself will not notice how you will become superfluous in your field of activity. To get rid of unnecessary information, you must consciously question everything that was relevant before.

There are three tips to help you with this.

1. Make sure you are wrong

Describing how he dealt with the doubts that arose during the experiments, the famous theoretical physicist Richard Feynman said: "We want to make sure as soon as possible that we are wrong, because this is the only way to come to some result."

This statement applies not only to physics, but to all professions. However, if we just think to ourselves, "Maybe I'm wrong?" - it will give nothing. Our brain naturally strives to find confirmation of already existing ideas, no matter how biased they may be. To test your beliefs, it’s best to try not to block information that might disprove them.

Of course, changing your point of view when faced with unsettling information is not easy. It’s unpleasant to find that what I believed in didn’t stand up to scrutiny. This is why the ability to forget old information is so important.

2. Double the number of sources of information

One of the reasons collective offices thrive is that in such an environment, the perspectives and perspectives of employees from different fields of activity mix and influence each other. It helps our minds not to freeze - which is what Andrew Butler, assistant professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin says, is necessary for forgetting outdated information.

False information and erroneous thought patterns come to us from a variety of sources, including movies and books. Instead of relying on what you think you know well, try to expand the number of sources of information for yourself.

Andrew Butler

Many believe that the sources from which they draw information and new ideas are completely reliable. But the longer we are in a position, the further we advance in our careers, the more important it is for us to expand our approach to information retrieval.

3. Use fear to your advantage

Adeo Ressi, the head of the organization, helps people to change jobs and become entrepreneurs.

“It takes about three and a half months to reconfigure people, get rid of existing attitudes and teach them to think like an entrepreneur,” says Ressi.

He uses a variety of exercises to motivate students, including exercises designed to induce fear. For example, aspiring entrepreneurs need to build a website, reach 2,000 people, and sell 50 products in a limited time frame. Many are scared at first.

“However, most people who initially thought it was impossible achieve great results when they manage to forget about the perceived limitations of their potential,” notes Ressi.

So instead of just getting rid of unnecessary skills and replacing them with new ones, try to question not only your knowledge, but also your views about yourself and your capabilities.