Still Insanely Interested in Everything
In 2007 and 2008, I wrote a number of posts on being “insanely interested” in everything. Those posts are still some of my favorites — and apparently also reader favorites, still bringing in the occasional comment every now and then.
I am still insanely interested in everything. And I am still looking for ways to make life work for someone wired this way.
Today, I thought I’d share one idea that feels right right now.
Derek Sivers wrote in one of his great blog posts (he only does great blog posts, by the way…):
If you’re 25 now, and have 7 different directions you want to pursue, then you can do each one for 10 years, and have done all of them by the time you’re 95. (Safe to assume that by the year 2081 it won’t be unusual to live to 95.)
This, I have noticed, is important. No one, no matter how curious, can do everything at once. It’s hard to stick to one interest and make others wait, but it’s the only way you can get anything out of the ideas.
Right now, as I am focusing my attention to publishing a magazine on bread, I try to let my other ideas wait until their time comes. Because if I didn’t, the magazine would never get anywhere — and neither would any of my other interests.
Actually, if you count carefully, publishing a magazine on bread consists of at least four separate interests that I can tackle all at once: bread, writing, design, and everything related to publishing. This way, who knows how many interests I still have time to experiment with in this life I have left.
Plus, you can never do everything anyway…
(Disclaimer: I still do read books on various topics at bed time…)