Stay Curious (on leave)
What others perceive to be a lack of commitment may be better explained as curiosity.
Growing up, my parents saw my shifting interests as a lack of commitment. Because they loved me, I believed them. I wasn’t a sports kid like my siblings; I bounced between gaming, computers, and music.
What looked like a lack of focus was actually curiosity. I wasn’t quitting; I was exploring. Eventually, those disparate interests converged into a multifaceted way of thinking.
True expertise isn’t forced; it is a byproduct of relentless curiosity. When you are genuinely fascinated by something, you naturally dig deeper than others care to. You keep pulling the thread simply because the next layer interests you.
I hope my kids stay fiercely curious about everything. The small, the weird, and the obscure. I hope no one talks them out of an interest just because it lacks immediate utility. Every obsession is productive; it just requires a longer arc to see the return.