Ankur Warikoo was once asked the secret to the 'source of his knowledge'. His honest answer will inspire you

We usually think knowledge comes from books, courses, or endless scrolling—but what if the real lessons are happening around you every day? Ankur Warikoo swears by observation. Every person you meet carries a perspective you don’t, a small piece of wisdom you might miss if you’re in a rush. From a stranger on the street to a colleague in the office, the world is a live classroom—but only if you pause and actually notice.

Most of us walk past these lessons, heads down, phones out. But if you slow down and pay attention, patterns start to emerge. Watch how people speak, how they tackle problems, and how they react to wins or failures. Listen to their stories, the words they pick, the subtle cues in their behaviour.

Every interaction is a tiny insight. Every conversation, a chance to learn something new. The more you observe, the more you expand your understanding—not just of others, but of the world and yourself. The truth is simple: wisdom isn’t only in books; it’s everywhere, if you’re willing to see it.


Internet reacts
One user shared that they loved the insight from Ankur Warikoo and agreed that observation is definitely one of the most underrated and constantly available sources of learning. Another commented that observation is like the world’s most accessible and underrated university. They reflected on how, when we watch people—whether noticing how they react to success or failure, or how they solve problems—do we actively keep a mental log or journal of these observations, or is the learning more about letting the patterns subtly reshape our perspective over time?

Another user totally agreed and said it’s amazing how much we can learn just by slowing down and paying attention to the people around us. Every conversation and every small interaction has something to teach if we actually notice it, and observation often ends up being far more powerful than reading a hundred books.

Another person raised a thoughtful question, asking if all his knowledge comes from observing the biases of others, how does he avoid simply adding their limitations to his own perspective.