It’s fascinating to me how the surrounding context can change the meaning of a piece of information. Even context added well after the initial information was transmitted.
This is why it’s worthwhile to take note of the world around you, to be observant even in your day-to-day minutiae. It may not seem relevant at the time, but a future context could make that information very valuable.
Practicing a certain level of “observational discipline,” whether in the form of note-taking, daily reflection, or even just sharing the details of your day in conversation can help make the future make more sense when you get there.
The Opportunity Machine 