Back when I was big-time into the fitness world, one of the most common complaints you’d hear from drive-by reply guys:
“This is nothing new.”
This is a low-IQ take coming from lazy small-thinking ankle-biters.
New is no guarantee of good.
Old is proven. Things that survive survive for a reason. Nassim Taleb calls this the “Lindy Effect”, after Lindy’s Deli in New York. What’s lasted is most likely to keep on lasting.
Not all that is old is good, either, but if an idea’s hung around since the dawn of collective memory, there’s a reason.
Besides that:
Chasing the Shiny New Things is borderline compulsive behavior.
You can’t even begin to master one idea if you’re always chasing the next hot thing.
This is the number one thing that derails a workout or diet, by the way. A guy or gal that shows up to the plan every day for three years will be three years ahead of their friend that jumps from plan to plan every other month.
Consistency with the basics creates its own rewards.
This is even true for anything you’re learning or any skill you might be developing.
Constant repetition of the basics, cycling through what you “already know”, is an underappreciated way to get better. It’s arguably the only way to reach the top.
Mastery is not knowing a lot of things, it’s knowing a few things with a depth few others can match.
If you’re reading books or taking courses to learn, “nothing new” is a selling point. Do not underestimate the advantage of seeing the same idea from multiple viewpoints, told through a variety of metaphors, stories, and examples.
It’s rarely one idea or skill that limits you. It’s your way into that idea.
Matt Perryman
https://matts.email