The Usefulness Mindset

In one of Sherlock Holmes' early interactions with Watson, there's a moment that strikes a chord about how we choose to consume information. Watson is startled when Sherlock reveals that he doesn’t know that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Sherlock, sensing Watson's surprise, replies with something to the effect of, “I see no use to knowing that. Now that I know it, I will make it a point to delete it from my memory.” This exchange might seem strange, even extreme, but it carries a powerful lesson about the utility of information.

In today’s age of information overload, we’re constantly bombarded with content that might be novel but largely irrelevant to our daily lives or long-term goals. The latest celebrity breakups or viral memes, while entertaining, rarely contribute to personal or professional growth. If we were to treat our minds like hard drives with limited capacity, wouldn’t we be more cautious about what we allow to take up space?

This is where the usefulness mindset comes in—focusing on information that adds value and purpose to our lives and work. It’s not about dismissing everything that’s novel or fun. Rather, it's about being more intentional with our mental resources, recognizing that our attention is finite, and being mindful of how we invest it.

In our fast-paced world, attention is one of our most valuable assets. Yet, so much of what we consume today—whether it's celebrity gossip, trivial news, or fleeting trends—does little more than distract us from what truly matters. If we can adopt a mindset of curation, choosing only to engage with information that serves our growth, learning, and purpose, we can sharpen our focus and become more effective in what we do.

Does this mean we should all forget trivial facts like Sherlock aimed to? Not necessarily. It’s not about purging every bit of information that doesn’t have immediate utility. It’s about recalibrating our relationship with the content we consume, filtering out the noise, and honing in on what genuinely propels us forward.

So next time you're about to dive into the latest online distraction, ask yourself: Is this useful? Or, like Sherlock, should you "delete" it from your mental storage to make room for something that truly matters?