In this episode of the Smart and Simple Matters show, I talk about a topic that's no longer flying under the radar.
And that's a very good thing, because it's of increasing importance in a world exploding with technology and information.
I'm talking about curating.
This is part 1 of a multi-part series about curation, a topic I'm endlessly fascinated by and always trying to help people with. If I get a little carried away or animated during this episode, you now have some context for it. And a good curator always makes sure they're providing valuable context.
Here's the Value of Simple definition if you're not familiar:
Curating is the act of intentionally sifting through your experiences and what you consume, archiving and categorizing the best stuff, and making it accessible and sharable for your future benefit and the use of others
So who's this for? Well, everyone really. But there are some people who are great candidates for becoming dynamite curators and making an easy transition into a curating mindset.
People like:
- Tech savvy folks with a lot of digital possessions.
- Anyone with a strong drive to organize.
- Freelancers that require a stash of inspirational material or proven resources for new projects.
- Passionate travel or recipe researchers.
- Self-improvement types who don't like to choose between convenience and quality.
- Those that do small amounts of work up front to eliminate huge amounts later.
- People with a desire to help others and be a resource master on certain topics.
- Someone who has a poor memory (like me) and resembles Forgetful Jones.
- The kid who always got excited the day new encyclopedias were delivered.
Don't worry if you don't see yourself in these descriptions. You'll still appreciate this and enjoy digging into a little understood world that's making our collective lives richer and more meaningful.
And this is a must listen show if you or someone you care about has one of these problems:
- Information overwhelm
- Poorly or non-existent organization of key files, data, and resources
- Being an information junkie but not benefiting from it
- Unintentional hording of great resources that other people could benefit from
- Not being able to get the information you want from a Google search
- Having the same information in multiple places, each set being different from the rest
- Not being able to attract people to participate and collaborate on the shared topics you all love
What You'll Learn
I cover why curating is so essential now, some great examples of curating tools, case studies of curating experts, the primary way I curate, and more.
In this episode you'll learn about:
- Just what the heck curating is and why it can make you look amazing.
- The types of struggles a curator can be a master problem solver for.
- What we all spend three-fourths of our day doing without realizing it.
- What kind of simple system I use to curate.
- The best three minute video about curating ever made.
- What high quality and low class curating systems look and feel like.
- The truth behind the 100,000+ words a day we're exposed to.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe Now and Never Miss an Episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | Email | RSS
Resources and Items Mentioned in This Episode Include:
- Websites: BrainPickings.org, Curation Nation, Master New Media, Michiel Gaasterland, NextDraft, Rhizome, Big Think
- Example Curating Tools: Evernote, Bit.ly, Pinterest, Instapaper, Springpad, Etsy, Goodreads, Library Thing, Scoop.it, Bundlr
- Videos: Three minutes of curating awesomeness
- Value of Simple Articles: Ask the Community: Struggle Creating Value from Information
Topics
- [01:11] Joel explains the concept and context of personal curating
- [01:57] Problems solved by curating and some unexpected benefits
- [05:29] Mind boggling research about information overload and what it means for you
- [08:18] What high quality and low class curating systems look and feel like
- [12:33] The solutions curating provides and how it makes you look good
- [15:40] The bottom line about the increasing importance of curating
Awesome Ways to Subscribe to the Show
If you're not already subscribed for automatic notifications of a new show, please do so with one of the links below.
- Click here to subscribe with iTunes
- Click here to subscribe via RSS
- Click here to subscribe via Stitcher
Transcript
- Click here to download the transcript
I'm Grateful for Your iTunes Reviews!
If you enjoyed this specific episode or the Smart and Simple Matters show in general, I always appreciate when people go to the iTunes page and leave an honest review. Every single review is a huge help and received with gratitude!
If you want to make me incredibly thankful, like the people who have recently left an iTunes review, here are the four quick steps (assuming iTunes is already installed):
- Visit the Smart and Simple Matters iTunes page here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/value-simple-podcast-joel/id545208089
- Click the blue button on the left labeled “View in iTunes” below the cover art of the show
- When iTunes loads, scroll down below the “Customer Reviews” section and click the link labeled “Write a Review”
- Write a review with whatever title you like, whatever length you have time for, and give the show an honest rating. If you don't think it deserves five stars, don't rate it as a five star show.
And if you have someone or something you'd like us to cover on an upcoming show, tell us in the comments below.
Hi Joel,
I’m looking forward to learning how to better curate my own experiences and the information that I happen upon! Exciting stuff!
One question for you, though:
With regards to the concept of newer content sort of rising to the top of the internet, so to speak, how do you feel about getting similar, but not identical, points of view from various bloggers on the same material? At what point for you does it seem redundant?
Thanks!
Hey Frank,
Awesome question! I’m always happy to get similar points of views not just from bloggers, but from any source of information or inspiration I come across. And even if the take home message is the same or the presentation is almost identical, if the quality is high enough and I perceive the benefit to others to be good enough, it will get curated in a spreadsheet.
Because even if it’s all the same to me, it’s definitely not all the same to the people I want to share my curated stash with. Some people respond better to a blogger than a magazine. Other people respond better to a religious figure than an atheist scientist. So if it seems all the same to me, I can still use the different content in different ways and for different audiences.
The trick is picking out the best stuff for the context or the specific person/group. It can get challenging if you have this massive spreadsheet and not enough information about the person/people you’re trying to help. But then again, that’s where sorting, filtering, tagging, a hand-crafted synopsis of the content, and other things come in handy.
So I say bring on the redundancy!
Hi Stacy,
It sure does. Come visit the Facebook page here:
Information Junkie? Oh yes, I can relate to that. Looking forward to listening to this.
Hi Dolly,
Nice to see you popping in here! Have you ever used journaling as a way to curate? I’ve heard other people tell me they have, but I’m interested to hear a real journaling pro’s thoughts on it.
Okay Joel. I’ll admit it: My system for curation (lack of system?) is in dire need of an update. I really need to hear part two of this thing 🙂
Hey Joel, this is hilarious and true “or maybe…you have a terrible memory?”
I really like the idea of this, and wow I am totally the encyclopedia kid.
I am a hoarder of Wikipedia articles and other stuff, and been kind of organizing it all just by titles of the text files…
I really would like to make sense of that stuff, so I’m totally stoked to hear more!
Hey Josh,
I’m planning my next episode in the curating series for December sometime. I have a really good problem right now and it’s that there’s too many other great episodes I’ve already recorded that need to get published first. I’m happy you enjoyed the first one so stay tuned (and welcome to VoS)!
Great voice Joel. I loved listening to this. I’m so curious about what you’ll discover and invent. Like you say, curating is something we all do anyway, but mostly unconsciously and without reliable recall. I agree that new and urgent information is hardly ever important. Most people don’t even know what they think is important. How do we get what’s really important to keep bubbling to the top of our attention, instead of new and urgent?
Hi Joel,
I just have to say, before even listening to the podcast, I am blown away by some of your outside links. I knew some of them but Rhozome is a new fascination for me.
I was just saying I am in too many projects at the moment but I am totally getting lost in these new finds.
And I know you mentioned “three-fourths of our time is spent looking for things” which is unbelievable. I’m pretty well organized but we can all improve. What I can’t what for is the spreadsheet classes. But this adds a whole new dimension to my curating.
Thanks for that!
I don’t think too many people click the links in the show notes before listening to the episode, Lee. Since you like curating and are interested in spreadsheets, you’d probably enjoy seeing my spreadsheet about curating. But that could easily suck up a ton of time…so only ask for it if you’re prepared to go deep down the rabbit hole.
I would love to go deep into the rabbit hole. And what can I say about clicking the links before listening but I’m special. And not the short school bus special in a good way. (Or that’s what my friends tell me and people at my art therapy class say. 😉
Please, I would love it is you send the curating spreadsheets.
Also, on a different note, I loved the hot-key newsletter and link. You probably type with the keyboard on your thighs holding it in the I’m a power-user way. I know them and am impressed with their/your sills. I use some of the hot keys you mentioned but will keep adding them on per week.
I just sent you an email with a spreadsheet of curating related resources. Enjoy your rabbit hole and the future Value of Simple newsletters!
Thanks, I’m sure I’ll see you on the other side…