If you are this kind, how do you decide which things to work on?
Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
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Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#2Passion
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#3Before you have family: what's fun and will improve the state of the world (not necessarily the whole world, just bits you can reach).
After having family, what benefits them may reasonably be the higher priority.
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#4Of the many things, can you rank them?
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#5I'd recommend reading https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41795733-range if only to see why being a generalist is another option. You should feel free to allow yourself the flexibility to switch your interests as you change throughout your life.
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#6First, have you asked yourself why you want to be an expert in many things? If it is just to know things, then it doesn't matter; just keep learning until you can't anymore. If it is to apply the knowledge to something, then you can use that fact to determine how much utility over time the knowledge of each thing would have, and focus on the greatest first.
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#7> I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
> If you are this kind, how do you decide which things to work on?
First step:
- You need to be an expert in prioritisation!
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#8[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#9Even if you had unlimited time it’s unlikely you’d become an expert in many things, even if many only means 3-5.
I know this isn’t very scientific, but as someone who’s struggled with this same question I would suggest just diving into any one of the things that you’re interested in. From there let your instincts and intuition naturally decide what you continue doing and what you abandon.
I’ve learned that it’s hard to force continued work in any area that feels like a slog. Our personalities are tuned to prefer certain activities or fields of study over others.
Find what feels natural and go, go, go.
Re: Ask HN: I want to be an expert in many things but my lifetime won't be enough
#10Prioritize what you love to do, love to work on. You will naturally become an expert in the areas you like to do.
Also good ideas aren’t vague, “I want to be an expert in many things” is too vague for an attainable goal.