I find the most important step to gaining knowledge is to step aside from the norms, for example we all go to school graduate then get a job and work... etc but the way we can learn from it is rather than just mindlessly joining in we need to take a step back and try to understand why we do what we do. Here is a quote by John Lennon I think is relevant. By the way I upvoted and followed, good stuff!

"I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go"