EXPERTS VS DEEP DIVERS
“on narrow questions, smart deep-divers can beat experts.”
The Lesson
One expert doesn't know what all experts know combined. A smart non-expert doing a deep dive on one specific question might cover some of what experts know plus things no single expert has investigated. I had a voice condition (spasmodic dysphonia) that experts said was incurable. I did my own research, found an experimental surgeon, got fixed. At the time, most experts didn't even know the cure existed. Hierarchy: Expert > dumb researcher. Expert > smart person without deep dive. But smart deep-diver with a track record of penetrating expert fields on narrow questions? Maybe listen to them.
Real-World Example
A founder's doctor says their rare condition has no treatment. The founder does 100 hours of research, finds a clinical trial in another country, gets in, improves significantly. The doctor had never heard of the trial. On this narrow question, the motivated founder knew more than the expert. But if some random person on Twitter says 'I did my own research'-probably trust the expert.
Watch Scott explain this lesson
Watch Lesson on Locals →