Learning for knowledge vs learning for personal benefit
Most of my interests stem from personal benefit. For eg, I like learning about real estate because it's both interesting and can generate a lot of money for me. I like learning/doing algo/ds Leetcode because it's interesting and can earn me offers. I had an encounter with my coworker who is so good with big data. But I can see that he does it because he really finds it interesting... but he doesn't seem to have any plans to monetize or use this knowledge to his benefit. He also ramped up super in depth on the industry we work in. But he did it because he found it interesting. That's all. Whatever he finds interesting, he'd go into a complete deep depth. Also he hates Leetcode and won't touch it. This is in complete contrast with me...I'm motivated by my self interest but he is motivated for the sake of learning, which I feel makes him really knowledgeable...but is also a waste of time in the long run. Am I thinking about this wrong? Does this make me weak? Am I too selfish? I feel very insecure and I'm not sure how to think about this...
We need to see what we are wishing for is just another flickering desire or is it coming from a much deeper self. I think it’s ok to try to do different things, and see which one resonates with your inner self. I generally compare this with buying something online, when I see someone using a new product and feel like buying it. It start with an assumption that it’s just another flickering desire so I find that product on amazon and add that to my cart. Leave it there for some time and come back if I really want that, mostly I don’t. So I remove that from cart. I always buy things that makes my life easier. Point here what is your true expressions or what helps you express your inner self. Just pick that! It makes us much happier in the long run
How do you know what's a flickering desire vs true expression?
In my experience Flickering ones fade away in few days and get replaced with new ones. Meditating on your thoughts might help you as well. Finding the true origin (i want to do A coz I would get B from it so B is the origin) of that thought or desire would help. When we do something for the sake of doing it, it would be much fulfilling IMHO
Time is the most precious commodity. The attention you give to learning things which can benefit your own wealth is commendable. In my opinion it is perfectly ok to be selfish, once you are wealthy you can sit back and burn some time, but not the other way around.
I'm really dumb so take everything I say with a grain of salt, but I've pondered this for a while. In the end, the conclusion that I've personally arrived at is that there are just some things that excite us and other things that maybe we wish excited us because they seem cool and glamorous but we don't really enjoy them deep down. For example, there was a time where I thought I should do ML because it seems popular/hardcore. But in the end I realized I really hate stats, and no matter how much dialogue I try to have with myself or how much I "try to see the beauty in the nuances of it", deep down I hate the work involved with doing it and have no passion for it. And that's fine. We have to work with ourselves to find the things that we are able to sustain interest in. For you it might be one thing, and for your coworker it might be another. Comparison can help as a point of reference for what works and what doesn't work, but trying to "be like someone else" is ultimately a futile effort that will erode your mental health. Do you. Maybe you don't like big data, so don't worry about it and focus on what you enjoy. Its okay to feel down or insecure on occasion but don't worry about it too much. There's nothing really wrong or right about doing something for fun, its just what fulfills you in the end. Anyway thats my two cents.
Thank you so much. This is why I love Blind. Answers like these help me so much 🙏🏼
wow dude did you type all that wisdom on mobile?