Strange birds

While research can be a lonely journey, there is always a base camp somewhere. There’s always a fireplace at which stories are told and opinions are shared. Some insightful comments can be heard, but also plenty of thoughts that are not necessarily intended to provide you (or capable of providing you) with anything but sound waves. Some are nothing other than downright mean.

Consequently, it is useful to train your ability to quickly identify useful and inspiring insights from those you encounter, and just as quickly identify and drop those thoughts that hold either little value or even harm. Especially on a long-haul trip, your motivation and drive will greatly depend on this ability to find value in (and sometimes even wring value out of) comments that might sound less helpful to an untrained ear. Of course, all of this hinges on your ability to derive constructive criticism from others’ comments. A great deal of constructive criticism does not depend on what people say or how they intend it, but how you can perceive it and how much you can generate from even the driest and saltiest remarks.

Research means incorporating others’ views to the advantage of your project. In some cases, this means just listening closely and appreciatively; in other cases, it means filtrating and upcycling waste material. Some things you will do best to just steer clear of. You will likely encounter all three types. The safest bet to keep hydrated is for you to bring filtering equipment that allows you to drink from more or less any source.

(This is a preview section. The full chapter on this topic continues with the sections “Rough coordinates”, “Train of thought”, “In essence”, “To reflect”, “Two travellers’ tales”, “Devil’s advocate”, and “How to tackle”.)