ML6: How To Balance Focus with Exploring Multiple Interests

Learn how to manage the trade off between exploring multiple interests and focusing your learning, using insights from two of the world's greatest learners - Benjamin Franklin and Amadeus Mozart.

ML6: How To Balance Focus with Exploring Multiple Interests

There is a tradeoff between following multiple interests and focusing on one thing - but the key is to find the right balance in a way that works for you.

If your friends and family tell you that you should be focusing more, then you probably fall into the category of someone with multiple interests. If so, I’ve got you covered here with strategies to help you explore these interests, integrate them into your life and focus at the right time.

Alternatively, if you’re someone with a tendency to become doggedly focused on a single learning project in a way that makes it more of a chore than an enjoyable experience, I’ll also give you ways of working novelty into your learning in a way that allows you to continue making progress.

In this episode I discuss a range of topics including:

- How to learn several things at once without getting distracted
- How to identify the times when you need to focus single-mindedly on a skill
- How to build variety into your learning routine to keep it fresh and enjoyable

So whether you're an aspiring polymath or want to focus on a long term learning project, this episode has you covered with actionable strategies you can start applying today.

🎙 ML40: How To Learn a New Skill

🎙 ML20: Scott Young on Ultralearning Projects, the MIT Challenge and The Year Without English

🎙 ML12: Will Reynolds and Erin Potter on Building Your Self-Directed Career, Learning Hard Skills and Balancing Work and Play

Articles

📄 The Highs and Lows of Being a Jack of All Trades

📄 3 Things Neo Taught Me About Learning

📄 Zapping the Zeigarnik Effect: A Giant Leap for Productivity

Selected Resources

For the Ben Franklins:

📄 Master of Many Trades - Robert Twigger for Aeon

📖 The Renaissance Soul: Make Your Passions Your Life - Margaret Lobenstine

▶️ Why Some of us Don't Have One True Calling - Emilie Wapnick


For the Amadeus Mozarts:

📖 Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less - Greg McKeown

📖 The One Thing: The Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results - Gary Keller

📖 Zero to One: Notes on Start Ups - Peter Thiel