What is a “Deep Dive”? You’ve probably heard the term before, but what exactly does it mean?
It means doing something that very few people can. It means spending (depending on the complexity of the subject) hours, weeks, months, or even years exploring something very specific.
And we’re not talking about reading. Reading is useful but it can easily become a crutch. In order to truly learn you have to execute.
The Deep Dive is difficult. Most people start digging into a subject, hit some rocks right away, and quit. Do this for a handful of subjects and you’ll be like most people: a source of “mile wide, inch deep” knowledge.
The opposite, “inch wide, mile deep” knowledge, is well worth the work. It’s rare and extremely valuable. In many cases you can contribute something entirely new to a field, which is incredibly rewarding. And the process changes you, endowing you with patience, discipline, analytical skills, and confidence that most people lack.
It’s tough to dig deeper. And in many cases, it seems like an inch deep truly is the bottom.
But it isn’t. If you sit in front of a seemingly impenetrable wall long enough, fissures will eventually begin to appear. After hours, days, or weeks of probing, you will find a way through where others could not.
So the next time you tackle a subject or a problem, work on it until you think you can go no further. Then continue to hammer away at it, breaking down its resistance until it gives up its secrets.
Don’t stop until it does.