How I Decide What Skills to Learn Next

I'm interested in a lot of subjects but I have only a lifetime to explore them all.

This reminds me of elves common in fantasy. They can live for hundreds of years and yet have less technological advantage over humans. Well, if you knew you have plenty of time to learn things, those dance lessons can wait in the next century. So progress can literally wait and traditions remain unchanged.

Humans don't have that time on them so everyday has to be made worth something. Traditions change and people adapt faster to the times.

Ok, what does this have to do with me picking a skill? Well, I could go into basket weaving but that has little practical impact to where I want to be. The check list goes something like:

• Is it practical to where I am and where I want to be?
• Can I expand this skill and branch it with other skills sets I already know or plan to know?
• Is it even useful or just a phase of interest I will outgrow?
• How costly is it? how much time, effort and other resources do I have to spend to get anywhere with it and whether the pay off for learning makes it worth it?

I got skills into art, writing, finance and health care but I ain't going to dance for tiktok.

I have more in mind but if the skill I want to learn doesn't pass the above criteria to begin with, then there's no need to spend more mental resources to convince myself.

We have a limited amount of time to do anything in life. People engage with learning skills that don't help them at all but that's their life choices anyway.

Something I came to think about after a consult with someone that realized the degree they worked so hard for didn't land them a job and are struggling with unemployment.

Thanks for your time.