I have been asked to teach a class on a topic which I have next to no experience. And it’s going to be great! Already, my mind is racing with people I can invite as guest speakers, new books I can read to learn about the topic myself, and suddenly, everything I see in the news relates to something I can use in class.
One of the first articles I wrote for publication was also on a topic of which I knew nothing. But unlike social media that sends you down an unproductive rabbit trail, doing research often sends you down a beneficial one. You read an article, then follow some of its references, which leads you to more articles. Or, you interview a person, who recommends that you talk with another person, and soon you have more material than you can actually use.
The next time you are interested in something, embrace the idea of learning about it in depth. Google and YouTube may provide a start, but going deeper can give you insights and context that you won’t find on the surface. You may find that you enjoy being the student as much as you do being the teacher or writer. Never underestimate the power of research and all that you can learn from actually doing it.
