Do you ever feel like life throws more and more new things at us every day—and you just have to keep ducking? I do. This is especially true for technology. It’s tempting to say, “I am doing just fine without [you can fill in the blank here with any new cloud platform or piece of hardware],” and then just carry on.
I’ve noticed, though, that sometimes it’s wise not to ignore what’s new. Instead, it can be rewarding to dig in. And I’d like to make the case for why you should, too. Because sometimes learning for the sake of learning can have outsized benefits on your personal life, your work, and even your career.
In fact, it’s not what you’re actually learning that matters. It’s that you’re invoking your curiosity. You’re taking a chance on something new and learning from it. It demonstrates to yourself and others that you’re awake in the world. It brands you as someone who can keep up. And, frankly, it can make you feel alive.
My current stretch-interest is digital generative art, which has been having its moment on tech Twitter this summer. (Here’s an overview.) I have no plans to make a career pivot into this world or to make a fortune by selling a jpeg of a Lazy Lion (as many on Twitter seem to be doing). I’m simply interested in where this is going. It also gives me some insight into the various ways blockchain influences different areas of commerce, especially the creator economy. Finally, it’s just plain fun to learn about.
Your new interest may be totally different from mine. And whether you choose to learn about blockchain or knitting, I can guarantee it will be good for your brain and will probably open some new doors.
I have found a few helpful guardrails in learning an absolutely new tech concept, especially one that’s complex, as are NFTs and generative art.
Go slow
Don’t try to eat the Internet all at once. Learning about something new can get overwhelming. There’s plenty I can’t yet wrap my head around regarding NFTs. I am finding it helpful to notice when I get confused or beyond my understanding. Then I simply stop. I have a go at it another time. Each dip gets easier, and I can go a little deeper.
Put skin in the game
The best way to learn is by doing, and a game-changing moment for me was simply taking the first step to buy crypto. I set up a Coinbase account and bought $50 of Cardano. I did this based solely on a casual mention by someone during a Zoom call. It sounded simple enough, and it was! (Of course, I have bought a little more since that day….) It’s a lot more fun to learn about crypto when I care about my own small holdings. As for generative art, well, I’m not quite ready to take the plunge—but I’ll get there. This account by journalist Alex Wilhelm on his attempt to buy an NFT for the “play-to-understand” tactic is hilarious.
Stick to media you enjoy
I’ve found it helpful to limit information intake to platforms I find most enjoyable. For a heavy topic like blockchain, long-form journalism hurts my brain. So I’ve given up the guilt about not reading encyclopedic pieces on generative art, and instead, I listen to podcasts or flip through Twitter threads. And again, the key is to not go overboard. I pay attention to when I get tired or overwhelmed, and stop. Tomorrow is another day.
Notice
Once you become interested in a topic, you will start to notice it everywhere. This act of noticing is a major part of learning. You will start to see references and conversations about the topic that otherwise may have gone right past you. When you do, pick up the thread and learn a little more.
I have just begun to scratch the surface on generative art. I have a basic understanding of what it is, the benefits of ownership, and the resale and fractional markets. Almost as importantly, I just enjoy looking at it!
Have I become an expert? Absolutely not. You won’t be seeing a CryptoPunk or Bored Ape in my Twitter profile anytime soon. But I love that my curiosity has taken me into a new little corner of the world.
My starter Coinbase account? $50. The thrill of watching a whole new area of commerce develop? Priceless.
Photo by Rostislav Uzunov from Pexels