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How to ThinkIn the Age of AI

Question

How do I practice shortest path?

beginner

Quick Answer

Pick two ideas in your knowledge system that seem unrelated — one from your professional domain, one from a personal interest. Write both down. Now try to connect them in as few intermediate concepts as possible. Write each intermediate concept as a node. If you get stuck, try a different intermediate.

Pick two ideas in your knowledge system that seem unrelated — one from your professional domain, one from a personal interest. Write both down. Now try to connect them in as few intermediate concepts as possible. Write each intermediate concept as a node. If you get stuck, try a different intermediate. When you find a path, examine each link: does this connection suggest an insight you hadn't noticed before?

Common pitfall: Assuming the shortest path is the only path, or that it's necessarily the most important one. Shortest paths reveal the most direct connection — but alternate paths through different intermediate nodes can reveal richer, more surprising relationships. The shortest path is a starting point for discovery, not the final word.

This practice connects to Knowledge Graphs — building it as a repeatable habit compounds over time.

Learn more in these lessons