It sure is hard to get things done when you are cynical, endlessly fascinated, and easily distracted. First you try to learn one little field, like the basics of personal finance, for purely practical reasons. Then you find yourself constantly questioning the claims and assumptions of your sources, so of course you do research on the internet to verify them. But that research raises more questions, which require more research, which requires learning entire new fields of study, until you are drowning in the sea of human knowledge which flows in through the spigot of your screen.

You feel unsatisfied because people disagree on the answers to the big questions, and you don't have enough information to figure out who is right. Papers to read fill up your bookmarks and books to read pile on top of your papers. You think of data you want to analyze, research to perform, models to build, degrees to get and careers to follow, but there just isn't time right now because you already have more projects to pursue than time and energy.

Ok, slow down. Sip instead of chugging, and you won't gag. You have decades left. You are never going to master all the fields you find fascinating. Don't let unanswered questions stop you from reaching immediate goals. The truth is not always out there in the time available to look for it.

Phew. That's better.

Ok, time to dive back in (to muddy the metaphor :) ).

How can people with free time ever be bored?

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