Failure Quote by Arthur Conan Doyle
““It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Importance of Knowledge Management, 1905
Acquiring new facts can displace older, useful knowledge; balance is essential.
In simple terms: New knowledge can push out old useful facts.
Key Takeaway
Curate and prioritize information.
Themes
learning
memory
knowledge management
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- professional training
- personal study
Key Concepts
cognitive overload
information hierarchy
forgetting
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide which facts to retain?
- What systems help preserve essential knowledge?
A Different Perspective
Human memory has limited capacity; some loss is inevitable.
![“I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. [...] It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. [...] It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have…” quote by Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7a/arthur-conan-doyle-273_attics_i-consider-that-a-man-s-brain-originally_2144119.jpg)
