Information is almost a commodity nowadays. Everything you want to learn can be found in the internet, in your local bookstore or in the hundreds of course options available out there. Those who, like me, like to read a lot about management in general, have surely noticed that the information from the different sources are very different, and sometimes contradictory. What one person says can sometimes be what the other condemns.

So which information is correct? Well, the answer is not simple… different points of view probably have their application under the right circumstances. In fact, this is what makes the current state of information so rich: there is a lot of space for different ideas, discussion, and positive conflict, which generates innovation.

And what information should you use? That isn’t simple either. You have to evaluate your reality and decide what applies and how to execute it. Many mistakes will be made, but understand that errors are natural and part of the process. There will be a lot of trial and error, but if your learning process involves carefully identifying lessons learned from all good and bad cases, be sure that you are heading the right direction.

If everything was just as easy as following a “10 tips” guide, we’d all be extremely successful in business.

I have seen it myself. When I started reading more about business and management, everything seemed to be clear and sometimes obvious. But a few months later, when I reviewed the information, I noticed that most of it hadn’t made much difference in my daily activities, and even worse, I hadn’t tested the conflicting information to see which one applied to my reality.

I began a very simple learning process. I created a mind map with every new concept I learned. For each concept, the following information is included: conflicting ideas (if any), opportunities for use, situations where I used the concept and lessons learned. I read this map daily to make sure that I am constantly applying what I learned to my activities.

Should you use the same method? If you read the rest of the article you know the answer is: depends. This is an idea, but you should develop a learning process that works well with your mind and personality.

Remember, you can absorb all the information, but turn on your filters, and adapt the information to your scenarios.