I have to take some time out to put this down, before it leaves the ever churning loops in my head…
I caught myself the other day—question popped into my head, and without even blinking, I opened Google. Didn’t matter what it was. Could’ve texted someone. Could’ve called. Could’ve even sat with the thought for a second. But instead, I reflexively typed it into a search bar like it owed me something.
Then I watched a coworker do the same thing. Different context, same response. No pause. Just: “I’ll look it up.” Maybe it’s faster, maybe it’s easier, but I started wondering—when did we stop trusting each other enough to ask?
We default to algorithms and upvotes because they’re quick and always on. But real insight, real feedback—that usually comes from the people we already know. Colleagues, mentors, friends. The ones who’ll tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to see at the top of a results page.
I’m not saying don’t use Google. I’m not even saying don’t use ChatGPT. I’m just saying don’t forget the people in your orbit. They might not have the fastest answers, but they’ve probably got the most relevant ones.
Who you trust starts with who you ask.
I feel that I may revisit this thought, but really just needed to get this out on digital paper.
All the best.
- Jeff