Find Conviction Before Undertaking Learning

I love to learn. The mere experience of finding information I did not know of, and building an understanding of a new topic is something I enjoy. In the past, I have found myself jumping into the process of learning something new, before considering why I should learn that thing. This has gotten me into cases where I have stretched myself too thin.

I have subconsciously developed a system of evaluation before learning anything new. I ask myself why I am learning it, and if progressing my learning in another topic or hobby will satisfy the same urge or deliver the same value. Given that, there will always be more to be learned than can be learned in a single lifetime, and building deep expertise in a few fields is more valuable than many shallow understandings, being less enthusiastic about committing to learning new things prioritizes quality over quantity. This personal habit has crystallised enough in my mind that it is now a conscious practice I employ frequently.

Finding conviction involves coming to an understanding on several points about the thing I wish to begin learning. Firstly, learning this new thing allows me to achieve a personal or professional goal, or be fun enough to be a pleasant hobby. Secondly, learning this new thing does not starve another important thing or hobby of time. If it does turn out that I should learn it, but this will require more time than I can spare, do I feel strongly enough to sacrifice any of my current commitments to ensure I do not overwhelm myself?

This habit of building conviction before learning new things has also allowed me to manage ongoing learnings because a clearer understanding of why I am learning makes sense of the journey and spotlights the destination, allowing me to navigate purposefully within the domain. What we do not do is just as important as what we do, when dealing with using time. I have found that understanding the end allows me to steer my learning journey better.

This article is a note to myself, as much as it is to the reader, on dealing with time management in self-development and hobbies. Choose your battles and your vanities wisely, then commit to them.