Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

Could it be that you've exhausted the easy things to learn? I feel that at some point it gets hard to keep the same learning velocity as the knowledge you are acquiring gets more complex and difficult to grasp. Also major breakthroughs are much rarer. While learning things similar to previous subjects seem trivial. Learning new programming languages for example. Once you've accumulated enough of then pattern start to repeat and learning the next one becomes more and more trivial to the point where it doesn't feel like learning the same amount of stuff as previously.

Part if the plateau might be not knowing the new stuff cold. There are times when it's hard to progress if your base understanding is kind of shaky. as you actually use the new stuff it'll gel, and open up new avenues for inquiry.

I'd also suggest Haskell. compare this: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/LeakyAbstractions.htm... to abstractions from math. mathematicians ensure the abstractions never leak. they make the rules, there is no way out of the game. this kinda points in that direction: http://conal.net/blog/posts/denotational-design-with-type-cl...

I think the most important thing is just keep trying.

Since I left University, I have gone through a few periods where I felt that I had plateaued and stopped climbing, both in my career and in terms of learning. To snap out of this, I found the following helpful:

a) I changed my perspective. In University, learning was broken up into easy to digest semester long chunks. In four months, I would write papers, write exams and receive marks which sort of indicated what I had learned. Since University, I have had to change my expectations, both in terms of chunks of time and in terms of feedback. I try to remind myself that I am learning, but sometimes I just learn in chunks that are almost too small to notice.

b) I keep a journal about what I am learning and what I am working on. This journal tends to be long on opinion. Every few months, I go back and read how far I have come. For me, there is no better way of seeing how far I have come than to read how wrong I used to be. Hacker News helps with this, since there is no shortage of extremely smart people who are willing to tell me that I am wrong.

c) I added hobbies. When I was in University, learning was my job and all of my hobbies and social interactions were built around this. Since University, I have picked up some hobbies. For me, lifting weights and jogging started off as a way to solve a serious health/stress problem and evolved into a bonafide hobby. I may not be learning as much as I was in University, but I can bench press my weight now and run 10km at will. Progress (of any sort) is addictive for me and it forces me to keep finding ways to progress.

d) I got into public speaking. In University, I belonged to a Toastmasters chapter, but after University, I not only joined another chapter, but I started seeking out speaking opportunities. Not only did my public speaking improve, but I have learned an immense amount through speaking in public. The old adage that you never really know something until you can explain it to someone who knows nothing is 100% true.

Right now, my biggest challenge is to incorporate meditation into my day to day routine. I love meditating and I know that it makes me a better, more mindful person, but it is hard for me to incorporate it. My hope is that a little more mindfulness will keep me from obsessing about the big picture (where change is so slow) and keep me in the moment.

Good luck, my friend and if you need anyone to talk to, my email is in my profile.

Try teaching other people. It's amazing what you find you don't know by explaining things to others. If there aren't people who want to learn what you know then post on a blog or forum and get feedback from those who are interested.

I want to say this to my Product Manager, and if aren't doing this already try investing 10-20% of your time on doing hands on work. Details matter.